Over the years, which team gets awarded home-field advantage in the World Series has been the subject of much consternation. MLB has tried all sorts of formats, even tying it to the outcome of the All-Star Game in one extremely ill-fated experiment that satisfied basically no one. In 2023, however, things are mercifully simple. Here’s how it works:
As it happens, that tiebreaker could actually come into play this season now that the Texas Rangers have become the first team to punch their ticket to the Fall Classic. The Rangers went 90-72 in the regular season, good for a winning percentage of .556. Should Arizona win Game 7 of the NLCS on Tuesday, things are pretty cut and dried: The D-backs were just 84-78 this year, meaning Texas would get home field for the World Series. Should Philly win, however, the math is a bit tricker, given that the Phillies also posted a 90-72 record.
To settle the tie, we have to go all the way back to the very first series of the season, when the Rangers swept the Phils in convincing fashion. That was the only time the two teams met in the regular season, meaning that Texas holds the home-field tiebreaker should Philly advance to the World Series. No matter what, Game 1 of the Fall Classic will take place at Globe Life Park in Arlington on Friday, Sept. 27.
