The MLB postseason is finally here! This post will continue our MLB odds series as we hand out a 2023 World Series prediction and pick.

The MLB season started back on the first of April, and every team embarked on their own journey. Some teams knew they would most likely not make the playoffs, but plenty of other organizations thought they had a chance at October baseball. The final seeding of postseason teams came all the way down to the last day of the season, and there were some surprises. The Houston Astros swept the Arizona Diamondbacks in the last weekend of the season, and that clinched the division for themselves for the sixth straight year (when looking at full 162 game seasons). The Miami Marlins snuck into the second Wild Card slot after the Chicago Cubs had a meltdown in September. Finally, teams like the Baltimore Orioles and Atlanta Braves look like powerhouses in their respective leagues.

The 2022 season saw the Houston Astros beat the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. The Phillies were the last seed in the National League, and they found a way to beat some good teams to advance to the World Series. The Astros were the top seed, and they swept their way to the World Series. Just six of the 12 teams that made the playoffs in 2022 have made it to the postseason in 2023, but the Astros do have a chance to repeat as champs.

Here are the 2023 World Series odds, courtesy of FanDuel

2023 World Series odds

Atlanta Braves: +250

Houston Astros: +450

Los Angeles Dodgers: +450

Baltimore Orioles: +650

Philadelphia Phillies: +1300

Tampa Bay Rays: +1500

Toronto Blue Jays: +1800

Minnesota Twins: +1800

Texas Rangers: +2200

Milwaukee Brewers: +2200

Arizona Diamondbacks: +3500

Miami Marlins: +4000

2023 MLB Postseason Seeds

The 2023 MLB postseason bracket is intriguing, and here are the seeds for both the American and National League.

American League seeds:

  1. Baltimore Orioles
  2. Houston Astros
  3. Minnesota Twins
  4. Tampa Bay Rays
  5. Texas Rangers
  6. Toronto Blue Jays

National League seeds:

  1. Atlanta Braves
  2. Los Angeles Dodgers
  3. Milwaukee Brewers
  4. Philadelphia Phillies
  5. Miami Marlins
  6. Arizona Diamondbacks

2023 World Series favorite picks

Atlanta Braves: There is no debate that defense and pitching win championships, but the Braves have something really special on offense. Atlanta led the MLB in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, home runs, hits, and runs scored. A lot of those categories were not even close. Matt Olson played every game this season, and he finished with 54 home runs, and 139 RBI. Ronald Acuna is going to win NL MVP after hitting 41 home runs, driving in 106, and stealing 73 bases. Three more hitters on the Braves had over 30 home runs this season. The pitching on the Braves will handle themselves, but the offense is the reason they will win the World Series.

Houston Astros: The Astros were the 2022 World Series champions. What makes the Astros so interesting is the fact they have made the ALCS six straight times, and they have advanced to the World Series in three of those seasons. Houston found a way to win the AL West division this season after Yordan Alvarez and Jose Altuve missed significant time, Cristian Javier, and Hunter Brown both had a high ERA, and Michael Brantley only played 12 games. This means the Astros will always find a way to win, and that is scary in the playoffs. They have some veterans with playoffs, and World Series experience, and that will help, as well.

Baltimore Orioles: Baltimore had the best season in the American League, and they stayed consistent all season. As a young team, they had a lot of people step up. Only five players on the Orioles played over 140 games. Baltimore had plenty of players make a difference, and their 26-man roster is going to be tough to choose for the playoffs. Adley Rutschman, Anthony Santander, and Gunnar Henderson each had 20+ home runs, so those three will be the leaders of the team. One setback is the loss of Felix Bautista, but the rest of their bullpen should be good to go for the ALDS. If the Orioles can continue to play together as a team, and throw the ball well, they have a chance to win the World Series.

2023 World Series sleeper picks

Tampa Bay Rays: The Rays had a historic start to the season, and that is hard to ignore. What makes the Rays a sleeper pick is their lack of pitching. They do have Tyler Glasnow, and Aaron Civale, but they have lost some very major pieces in their rotation throughout the season. Despite that, Tampa Bay still owned the fifth-best team ERA, second lowest opponent batting average, lowest WHIP, and they had the fourth-most wins in the MLB. Their pitching will need to step up big time in the postseason if they want to make it to the World Series. The Rays have a fantastic offense, but their pitching will be the difference maker.

Milwaukee Brewers: Just like the Rays, Milwaukee will be led by their pitching staff. The Brewers were bottom-10 in batting average, slugging, and home runs, so the pitching staff will need to be dominant. Unfortunately, Brandon Woodruff has just suffered an injury, but there are plenty of other pitchers to be excited about. Milwaukee led the MLB in ERA, they were second in shutouts, eighth in quality starts, and they had the best opponent batting average. Three of their bullpen arms had an ERA below 2.00. Milwaukee's pitching staff is talented enough to lead them to the World Series.

Final 2023 World Series prediction and pick

Every team has their own chance to make the World Series this season. The Phillies, Diamondbacks, and Dodgers would not be a surprise, as well as the teams I have already named. When it comes to picking a World Series winner, I can not go against the Braves and the season they have had. Atlanta's offense is one of the best in recent history, and their pitching staff will be just as good. I will take the Braves to win the whole thing.

Final 2023 World Series prediction and pick: Braves (+250)