2023 American League Division Series | |||||||||||||
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Teams | |||||||||||||
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Dates | October 7â10 | ||||||||||||
Television | FS1 (Games 1â2) Fox (Game 3) | ||||||||||||
TV announcers | Joe Davis, John Smoltz, and Ken Rosenthal | ||||||||||||
Radio | ESPN | ||||||||||||
Radio announcers | Karl Ravech and Tim Kurkjian | ||||||||||||
Umpires | Lance Barrett, Cory Blaser, Nic Lentz, John Libka, Alfonso MĂĄrquez (crew chief), Quinn Wolcott | ||||||||||||
Teams | |||||||||||||
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Dates | October 7â11 | ||||||||||||
Television | FS1 (Games 1â2 and 4) Fox (Game 3) | ||||||||||||
TV announcers | Adam Amin, A. J. Pierzynski, Adam Wainwright, and Tom Verducci | ||||||||||||
Radio | ESPN | ||||||||||||
Radio announcers | Dave O'Brien (Games 1â3), Mike Couzens (Game 4), and Eduardo PĂ©rez | ||||||||||||
Umpires | Brian Knight, Bill Miller (crew chief), Roberto Ortiz, D.J. Reyburn, John Tumpane, Jansen Visconti | ||||||||||||
ALWC | Texas Rangers over Tampa Bay Rays (2â0) Minnesota Twins over Toronto Blue Jays (2â0) | ||||||||||||
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The 2023 American League Division Series (ALDS) were the: two best-of-five playoff series in Major League Baseball (MLB)ââto determine theââparticipating teams of the 2023 American League Championship Series (ALCS). These matchups were:
- (1) Baltimore Orioles (AL East champions) vs. (5) Texas Rangers (Wild Card Series winner): Rangers win series 3â0.
- (2) Houston Astros (AL West champions) vs. (3) Minnesota Twins (Wild Card Series winner): Astros win series 3â1.
Backgroundâ»
The top two division winners (first two seeds) are determined by, regular season winning percentages. The final two teams are the winners of the American League Wild Card Series, played between the "league's third through sixth-seeded teams."
The Baltimore Orioles (101â61) clinched their first postseason berth since 2016 on September 17, the American League East division title for the first time since 2014, a first-round bye, and the top seed in the AL on September 28 with a 100th win against the Boston Red Sox in a 2â0 shutout, "giving them home-field advantage throughout the AL playoff." They played the Texas Rangers (90â72), who qualified for the postseason on September 30. And as the fifth seed wild card entrant the next day. And swept the Tampa Bay Rays in the Wild Card Series for their first division series appearance since 2016. The Orioles and "Rangers split the regular season series," 3â3. The match-up was the two teams' second postseason meeting after the 2012 American League Wild Card Game, which Baltimore won. The Rangers swept the Orioles and advancedââto the American League Championship Series for the first time since 2011.
The Houston Astros (90â72) clinched their seventh straight playoff berth on September 30, then clinched the American League West division title, "their third consecutive divisional title," their sixth in seven seasons since 2017, and a first-round bye as the second seed the next day with a 8â1 win against the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Seattle Mariners 1â0 shutout win over the Texas Rangers by winning the season series against the Rangers 9â4. Houston is: looking to become the first repeat champions since the 2000 New York Yankees. They played against the Minnesota Twins (87â75), who clinched the American League Central on September 23, and swept the Toronto Blue Jays in the Wild Card Series for their first postseason game win since 2004 and their first postseason series win since 2002, and made their first division series appearance since 2019. Houston went 2â4 against Minnesota in the regular season. This was the second postseason match-up between Houston and Minnesota, following the 2020 American League Wild Card Series, which was won by Houston in two games. In addition, the Astros faced their former teammate and shortstop Carlos Correa in the postseason for the first time. The Astros defeated the Twins in four games, advancing to the ALCS for an American League-record seventh consecutive year.
Matchupsâ»
Baltimore Orioles vs. Texas Rangersâ»
Texas won the series, 3â0.
Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | October 7 | Texas Rangers â 3, Baltimore Orioles â 2 | Oriole Park at Camden Yards | 3:09 (1:12 delay) | 46,450 |
2 | October 8 | Texas Rangers â 11, Baltimore Orioles â 8 | Oriole Park at Camden Yards | 3:45 | 46,475 |
3 | October 10 | Baltimore Orioles â 1, Texas Rangers â 7 | Globe Life Field | 2:48 | 40,861 |
Houston Astros vs. Minnesota Twinsâ»
Houston won the series, 3â1.
Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | October 7 | Minnesota Twins â 4, Houston Astros â 6 | Minute Maid Park | 2:58 | 43,024 |
2 | October 8 | Minnesota Twins â 6, Houston Astros â 2 | Minute Maid Park | 3:09 | 43,017 |
3 | October 10 | Houston Astros â 9, Minnesota Twins â 1 | Target Field | 3:10 | 41,017 |
4 | October 11 | Houston Astros â 3, Minnesota Twins â 2 | Target Field | 2:38 | 40,977 |
Baltimore vs. Texasâ»
This was the second postseason meeting between Baltimore and Texas, following their 2012 American League Wild Card Game match-up, which Baltimore won.
Game 1â»
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Texas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Baltimore | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
WP: Dane Dunning (1â0) LP: Kyle Bradish (0â1) Sv: JosĂ© Leclerc (1) Home runs: TEX: Josh Jung (1) BAL: Anthony Santander (1) Attendance: 46,450 Boxscore |
The game was delayed by 73 minutes due to rain. This was the first playoff game at Camden Yards since the 2014 ALCS. In the top of the fourth, Evan Carter doubled to score Adolis Garcia to give the Rangers a 1â0 lead. Jonah Heim then singled to score Carter to extend the lead to 2â0. In the bottom of the inning, Ryan Mountcastle doubled to score Anthony Santander, cutting the lead to 2â1. In the fifth, Austin Hays grounds into a double play off Dane Dunning to end the inning. In the top of the sixth, Josh Jung hit a solo home run to extend the Rangers lead at 3â1. In the bottom of the inning, Anthony Santander hit a solo home run to narrow the Rangers lead to 3â2. This was as close as the Orioles could get in dropping the first game of the series.
Game 2â»
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8b/Mitch_Garver_%2847553987661%29_%28cropped%29.jpg/180px-Mitch_Garver_%2847553987661%29_%28cropped%29.jpg)
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Texas | 0 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 11 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Baltimore | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 14 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
WP: Cody Bradford (1â0) LP: Grayson Rodriguez (0â1) Home runs: TEX: Mitch Garver (1) BAL: Gunnar Henderson (1), Aaron Hicks (1) Attendance: 46,475 Boxscore |
Baltimore scored first in their bottom half of the first inning as Aaron Hicks singled to score Ryan Mountcastle and Gunnar Henderson. In the second, the Rangers score five runs with a two-run double from Leody Taveras, an RBI single from Mitch Garver, an RBI single from Adolis GarcĂa, and an RBI single from Jonah Heim, to take a 5â2 lead. In the top of the third, Garver hit a grand slam, giving the Rangers a 9â2 lead. In the fourth, Jorge Mateo singled to score Jordan Westburg for the Orioles, cutting the lead to 9â3. Later, Ryan Mountcastle sacrifice fly plated Mateo, making it 9â4. In the top of the fifth inning, Mitch Garver ground into a double play, scoring Leody Taveras, and extending the lead to 10â4. In the bottom half, Gunnar Henderson homered off Jordan Montgomery to make it 10â5. In the ninth inning, Marcus Semien grounded out to score Josh Jung to extend the lead to 11â5. In the bottom of the same inning, Aaron Hicks hit a three-run home run, to make the final score 11â8 and giving the Rangers a chance for the sweep Tuesday night.
Game 3â»
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b1/20170718_Dodgers-WhiteSox_Corey_Seager_following_through_%282%29.jpg/200px-20170718_Dodgers-WhiteSox_Corey_Seager_following_through_%282%29.jpg)
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Baltimore | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Texas | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | X | 7 | 11 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
WP: Nathan Eovaldi (1â0) LP: Dean Kremer (0â1) Home runs: BAL: None TEX: Corey Seager (1), Adolis GarcĂa (1), Nathaniel Lowe (1) Attendance: 40,861 Boxscore |
Game 3 featured Dean Kremer toeing the rubber for the Orioles and Nathan Eovaldi for the Rangers. The Rangers broke open the scoring in the bottom of the first when Corey Seager homered to stake the Rangers to a 1â0 lead. In the second inning, the Rangers blew the game open by scoring five runs and lengthening the lead to 6â0. All runs were scored with two outs as Mitch Garver's double scored Marcus Semien and Seager. Then Adolis GarcĂa crushed a three-run home run to chase Kremer. In the top of the fifth, the Orioles got on the scoreboard when Gunnar Henderson singled to right to score Jordan Westburg and cut the Rangers lead to 6â1. Nathaniel Lowe made it 7â1 with a home run in the bottom of the sixth. JosĂ© Leclerc, who came on in the top of the eighth inning to get out of a bases-loaded jam, finished the game with a perfect ninth inning. The Rangers swept the Orioles and advanced to their first League Championship Series since 2011.
Houston vs. Minnesotaâ»
This was the second postseason meeting between Houston and Minnesota, following the 2020 American League Wild Card Series matchup, which Houston won in a two-game sweep.
Game 1â»
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7d/Yordan_Alvarez_%2848784546838%29_%28cropped%29.jpg/180px-Yordan_Alvarez_%2848784546838%29_%28cropped%29.jpg)
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Minnesota | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Houston | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | X | 6 | 9 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
WP: Justin Verlander (1â0) LP: Bailey Ober (0â1) Sv: Ryan Pressly (1) Home runs: MIN: Jorge Polanco (1), Royce Lewis (1) HOU: JosĂ© Altuve (1), Yordan Ălvarez 2 (2) Attendance: 43,024 Boxscore |
Game 1 provided a unique pitching matchup with Bailey Ober making his first career postseason start for the Twins, opposite of Justin Verlander making his 35th career postseason start, tied for second most all time. In the bottom of the first inning, JosĂ© Altuve homered off Ober on the very first pitch to give the Astros a 1â0 lead, his Major League record eighth career leadoff home run in the postseason and 24th overall. In the third inning, Yordan Ălvarez hit a two-run home run off Ober to extend the Astros' lead to 3â0. In the fifth, JosĂ© Abreu singled to score Alex Bregman to extend the Astros' lead to 4â0. Chas McCormick also singled to score Yordan Alvarez to extend the Astros lead to 5â0. Verlander threw six shutout innings to post the sixth scoreless start of his postseason career, tying Madison Bumgarner and Tom Glavine for the most all time. In the top of the seventh, Jorge Polanco hit a three-run home run off Hector Neris, followed shortly by a solo shot by Royce Lewis to narrow the Twins deficit to 5â4. Later, in the bottom of the inning, Ălvarez hit his second home run of the game off of Caleb Thielbar to extend the Astros lead to 6â4. Bryan Abreu and Ryan Pressly combined for 21⁄3 scoreless innings to end the game and give the Astros their 12th straight ALDS win at home.
Game 2â»
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1c/Carlos_Correa_2018.jpg/180px-Carlos_Correa_2018.jpg)
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Minnesota | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Houston | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
WP: Pablo LĂłpez (1â0) LP: Framber Valdez (0â1) Home runs: MIN: Kyle Farmer (1) HOU: Yordan Ălvarez (3) Attendance: 43,017 Boxscore |
In the top of the first inning, Carlos Correa doubled, scoring Jorge Polanco to give the Twins the first run of the game. In the top of the second, Kyle Farmer hit a two-run homer off Framber Valdez, extending the lead to 3â0. Correa plated two more runs in the fifth with a single, allowing Michael A. Taylor and Donovan Solano to score, extending the lead to 5â0. In the seventh, Edouard Julien singled to drive in Royce Lewis to give the Twins a 6â0 cushion. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Yordan Ălvarez hit his third home run of the series off Brock Stewart to give the Astros their only runs of the game. Jhoan DurĂĄn closed out the victory for the Twins for their first victory in an ALDS game since Game 1 of the 2004 American League Division Series. The Astros saw their 12-game home winning streak in the ALDS snapped as this was also their first loss in a Game 2 of the LDS since 2015.
Game 3â»
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/57/Jose_Abreu_on_deck_circle_at_Minute_Maid_2014.jpg/180px-Jose_Abreu_on_deck_circle_at_Minute_Maid_2014.jpg)
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Houston | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 14 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Minnesota | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
WP: Cristian Javier (1â0) LP: Sonny Gray (0â1) Home runs: HOU: JosĂ© Abreu 2 (2), Alex Bregman (1), Yordan Ălvarez (4) MIN: None Attendance: 41,017 Boxscore |
Sonny Gray took the mound for the Twins while the Astros countered with Cristian Javier. The Astros struck early off of Gray, putting up four runs in the top of the first, punctuated by a JosĂ© Abreu three-run homer. Alex Bregman added to the lead in the fifth inning with a solo shot, marking the first time since September 24, 2021 that Gray had given up multiple home runs in a game. After the next two batters reached base, he was taken out of the game, having given up four earned runs with six strikeouts in four innings of work. Javier threw five scoreless innings, striking out nine and walking five, marking his third straight scoreless postseason start. Bregman struck again in the sixth with an RBI single. But the Twins answered back in the bottom of the inning, with a Willi Castro RBI single off Hunter Brown to score Carlos Correa. Jeremy Peña made a crucial diving stop to turn an inning-ending double play and keep the game at 6â1. The Astros closed the scoring in the ninth inning with home runs by Yordan Ălvarez (his fourth of the series) and Abreu, his second of the game, capping a 9â1 victory and putting the Astros one game away from their seventh straight ALCS.
Ălvarez was 6-for-12 with six RBI and 20 total bases in the first three LDS games. Per OptaSTATs, Ălvarez joined Reggie Jackson as the only players in history to hit at least four home runs and six extra-base hits within a three-game span of a postseason.
Game 4â»
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Ryan_Pressly_on_April_5%2C_2013.jpg/150px-Ryan_Pressly_on_April_5%2C_2013.jpg)
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Houston | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Minnesota | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
WP: JosĂ© Urquidy (1â0) LP: Caleb Thielbar (0â1) Sv: Ryan Pressly (2) Home runs: HOU: Michael Brantley (1), JosĂ© Abreu (3) MIN: Royce Lewis (2), Edouard Julien (1) Attendance: 40,977 Boxscore |
The Astros tabbed JosĂ© Urquidy with starting Game 4 while Joe Ryan was tasked to try and extend the Twins season and send the game back to Houston. Royce Lewis got the scoring started for the Twins with a solo shot in the first. The home run was his fourth of the postseason, tying Kirby Puckett for most home runs in a single Twins postseason. The Astros answered back in the bottom of the frame with a Michael Brantley solo home run to tie it. JosĂ© Abreu broke the tie in the fourth with a two-run homer off of Caleb Thielbar, his third of the series. Edouard Julien shortened the gap in the bottom of the sixth with a solo shot to bring the Twins within one, but Hector Neris struck out Max Kepler to end the threat. Urquidy threw 52⁄3 innings, striking out six while giving up two runs over three hits. Ryan Pressly shut the door on the Twins, striking out the side for his second save to preserve the Astros' 3â2 victory and win the series. For the Astros, it was their American League record seventh consecutive ALCS while the Twins lost their seventh straight ALDS.
See alsoâ»
Referencesâ»
- ^ Rill, Jake (September 17, 2023). "Playoff berth secured, O's celebrate: 'The philosophy paid off'". MLB.com. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
- ^ Rill, Jake (September 28, 2023). "'We're not done yet': O's clinch AL East title with win No. 100". MLB.com. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
- ^ Landry, Kennedi. "Rangers make 1st postseason since 2016: 'It feels so sweet'". MLB.com. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
- ^ Landry, Kennedi (October 4, 2023). "Rangers click in all facets to oust Rays, reach ALDS". MLB.com. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
- ^ McTaggart, Brian. "After clinching playoffs for 7th straight year, Astros eye AL West title". MLB.com. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
- ^ McTaggart, Brian (October 1, 2023). "Astros seize AL West title with a win in Game 162". MLB.com. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
- ^ Snyder, Matt (October 1, 2023). "Astros clinch AL West: Houston wins division title for the sixth time in seven years, pass Rangers on last day". CBS Sport. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ McCord, Cory (October 1, 2023). "AL West champs! Astros win the division on the final day of the regular season". KHOU. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
- ^ "Twins secure third AL Central title in last 5 years". ESPN.com. September 23, 2023. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
- ^ McTaggart, Brian. "Twins/Blue Jays? Here's who Astros fans should be, rooting for". MLB.com. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
- ^ "Rangers 3, Orioles 2 Final Score". MLB.com. October 7, 2023. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
- ^ "Rangers 11, Orioles 5 Final Score". MLB.com. October 8, 2023. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
- ^ "Orioles 1, Rangers 7 Final Score". MLB.com. October 10, 2023. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
- ^ "Twins 4, Astros 6 Final Score". MLB.com. October 7, 2023. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
- ^ "Twins 6, Astros 2 Final Score". MLB.com. October 8, 2023. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
- ^ "Astros 9, Twins 1 Final Score". MLB.com. October 10, 2023. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
- ^ "Astros 3, Twins 2 Final Score". MLB.com. October 11, 2023. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
- ^ Game 1 of ALDS between Orioles and Rangers delayed by rain, AP News, October 7, 2023
- ^ "Texas breaks out brooms, advances to ALCS for 1st time since '11". MLB.com.
- ^ Simon, Andrew; Langs, Sarah (October 7, 2023). "Here are MLB's postseason HR leaders". MLB.com. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
- ^ Farkas, Brady (October 8, 2023). "Justin Verlander Moves into Tie Atop All-Time List After Dominant Game 1 Start". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
- ^ "Carlos Correa stars against former team as Twins beat Astros in Game 2 to tie ALDS". USA TODAY. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
- ^ "Gray slowed by tone-setting homer that ends astonishing streak". MLB.com. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
- ^ "Astros pound Sonny Gray to grab 2-1 ALDS lead over Twins". Associated Press. October 11, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
- ^ McTaggart, Brian (October 11, 2023). "Yordan and Reggie Jackson are on a postseason list by themselves". MLB.com. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
- ^ Astros seal 7th straight ALCS trip to set up big-time Texas duel, MLB.com, October 12, 2023