(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
It’s the year of the underdog in MLB.
It’s one thing to dominate in the regular season, but it has been proven time and time again that the playoffs are a different animal.
There is far less room for error, as streaks and trends (who is hot and who is not) are more important, and pitching and power take on a whole new meaning.
These things, plus the obvious small sample size warnings, make for a more level playing field: anyone can beat anyone.
A good regular season doesn’t guarantee anything more than a top seeding and perhaps home-field advantage.
After that, teams are on their own in the postseason.
This year, three different organizations had at least 100 wins: the Atlanta Braves, the Baltimore Orioles, and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
All of them were knocked out of the playoffs in the Division Series.
“There were three MLB teams that had 100+ wins this season They went a combined 1-9 in the postseason,” Bleacher Report tweeted.
There were three MLB teams that had 100+ wins this season
They went a combined 1-9 in the postseason pic.twitter.com/ZWxTSkDOoe
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 13, 2023
The only victory was the one in which Michael Harris II made that spectacular catch in center field and the Braves infield doubled off Bryce Harper at first base.
Other than that, there were all Ls for the Braves, Orioles, and Dodgers.
People say that the extended break affects teams with first-round byes, and it might be true to some extent.
The Houston Astros had a week off, too, and they are going to the Championship Series.
Perhaps they are an exception to the rule, but the only reality is this one: no matter their regular-season record, teams have to execute and play well in order to thrive in the postseason.
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