Home field advantage in the 2023 World Series will go to the Atlanta Braves if they make it to the championship. This is because they had the top performance in MLB this year.
Every year, the World Series is a tournament to see who’s the best in MLB. It’s a face-off between the top teams of the American League and the National League. The champion is picked after a series of seven games.
They use a 2-3-2 pattern for the matches. The team with the best performance during the season hosts the first two and the last two games. The othe
r team hosts the three in the middle. So, the better-performing team gets four games on their home turf, while the other has three.
Being on your home field can be a big help. The fans cheer more for you. Also, players know their own field better, making them more at ease.
Which Team Secures Home Field Advantage for the 2023 World Series?
In 2023, the team with the best performance during the regular season gets the home-field advantage for the World Series. The Braves lead with the top record in Major League Baseball (MLB).
But before enjoying this benefit, the Braves have to win the National League Division and Championship Series.
Right behind them are the Baltimore Orioles, recording a solid 101-61, making them the second-best in MLB.
While the Braves stand out with the top MLB record, it’s still unclear who will have the home-field edge in the World Series due to the event’s unpredictability.
To illustrate, the Dbacks, ranked sixth in the National League, hold the least impressive record, similar to the Blue Jays in the American League.
If both teams conquer their Wild Card, Division, and Championship matches and proceed to the World.
The 2023 MLB playoffs have twelve teams. Here’s how they stand according to their regular season performance:
- The Atlanta Braves -104 wins and 58 losses.
- The Baltimore Orioles -101 wins and 61 losses.
- The Los Angeles Dodgers -100 wins and 60 losses.
- The Tampa Bay Rays – 99 wins and 63 losses.
- The Milwaukee Brewers -92 wins and 70 losses.
- The Houston Astros- 90 wins and 72 losses.
- The Philadelphia Phillies- 90 wins and 72 losses.
- The Texas Rangers- 90 wins and 72 losses.
- The Toronto Blue Jays ended with 89 wins and experienced 73 losses.
- Minnesota Twins achieved 87 wins and had to deal with 75 losses.
- Miami Marlins closed the season with 84 wins and 77 losses.
- Lastly, the Arizona Diamondbacks claimed 84 wins and bore 78 losses.
In the major league, the Diamondbacks stand alone as the sole team without a shot at securing the home-field advantage for the World Series. This is due to them having the poorest performance among the twelve teams in the playoffs.
The way home field advantage works in the MLB playoffs is based on team rankings. Teams that win their divisions get the top three spots, ranked by their season records. So, the team with the best record will be ranked first, the second-best second, and so on.
Teams ranked 4th to 6th are the ones with the top records among the other 12 teams. But it’s important to note that a team can have an outstanding record and still be ranked lower.
A case in point: In 2023, the Toronto Blue Jays had a season record of 89 wins and 73 losses. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Twins ended their season with 87 wins and 75 losses.
Despite the Blue Jays having a better record, the Twins clinched the AL Central title and got the 3rd rank. The Blue Jays, on the other hand, came third in their division, the AL East, and landed the 6th spot.
This means, in the upcoming Wild Card Series on October 3, the Twins will enjoy the home-field advantage against the Blue Jays, all thanks to the ranking system.
How is Home Field Advantage Determined in the World Series?
The best-performing team during the regular season earns the home-field advantage for the World Series. In 2023, the Atlanta Braves were that team.
Years ago, before 2003, which league’s team got the home advantage in the World Series changed yearly. One year, the National League’s team would have it; the next year, it would go to the American League’s team.
In the 2002 season, there was a change due to an All-Star Game that finished with a 7-7 tie. After this, Major League Baseball (MLB) decided the World Series home advantage would go to the league winning the All-Star Game.
Initially, this change was to last for two years to avoid ties in All-Star games. But it continued after its trial ended in 2004.
In 2002, the Anaheim Angels from the American League got the home advantage. But because of the new rule in 2003, the New York Yankees from the American League got the home advantage, since they won the All-Star Game. This approach continued until the end of the 2016 season.
During the 14 years this rule was in place, the American League won the All-Star Game and the World Series home advantage 11 times. Starting in 2017, the team with the best regular-season record got the home-field advantage.
If the top teams from both leagues have the same record, a system is used to determine who gets the home advantage. The tie is broken by seeing which team performed better when they played against each other. If still tied, the performance against teams in their division is used.
In 2021 and 2022, the Houston Astros had the home-field advantage in the World Series. In 2021, they didn’t win against the Braves. However, in 2022, they used this advantage well, winning two out of three games at their home stadium, Minute Maid Park.
Benefits of Atlanta Braves Home Field Advantage
The Atlanta Braves had a great run in the 2023 MLB season, securing the top win-loss record. This means they’ll have home field advantage in the World Series against any team.
Their season record stood at 104 wins and 58 losses, outperforming the Baltimore Orioles by three games. The Orioles had the second-highest wins in MLB. On October 7, the Braves will begin their postseason.
They’ll play against either the Miami Marlins or the Philadelphia Phillies, depending on who wins their matchup.
For the National League Division Series, three out of the five games will be at the Braves’ home ground, Truist Park. It’s noteworthy that the Braves have been strong both at home and during away games.
In fact, they’ve had an equal number of wins and losses for both home and away matches. This balance puts them in a strong position for the postseason.
For this postseason, if the Braves progress to the later rounds, they’ll have the privilege of playing at their home stadium, regardless of the opponent.
There’s something called a magic number in baseball which indicates how many games a team needs to win to secure a particular spot. The Braves’ magic number for home field advantage is now zero.
That’s because they’re already confirmed as the top team for this season. Their home matches are held at Truist Park.
The Braves shifted to Truist Park in 2017 after twenty years at Turner Field. This move seems to have been good for them. Apart from one year, they’ve always progressed beyond the regular season since the move.
They even clinched the World Series in 2021 and dominated their division for six straight years. With home field advantage this season, the team is eyeing their fifth World Series win.
Many believe the Braves could win the 2023 MLB trophy. Current odds favor them at +260 to achieve this victory.