MLB Releases 2023 Schedule: All 30 Teams Will Play Each Other for First Time
Major League Baseball released its scheduled for the 2023 season Wednesday.
For the first time ever in a season, all 30 teams will play each other.
Each team will play 52 total games against divisional opponents. That is a 24-game decrease from the traditional 76 games teams have played against divisional foes in recent years. Teams will play each divisional opponent 13 times over four series, a decrease from 19 games over six series. Each team will play 26 home games and 26 road games versus divisional opponents.
The total of intraleague games — games between teams from the same league that compete in different divisions — has been decreased from 66 to 64. Teams will play seven games against four league opponents and six games versus six league opponents. This is the inverse of the previous format, where teams played seven games against six league opponents and six games against four league opponents.
Interleague games will see the greatest uptick from 2022 to 2023. Prior to 2023, teams were playing 20 interleague games in a season. In 2023, teams will play 46 — a 230% increase.
Teams will play a home and away series with their natural rival (i.e.: Chicago Cubs versus Chicago White Sox, New York Mets versus New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics versus San Francisco Giants) for a total of four games — two games at home and two on the road.
Teams will play a total of 42 games against other interleague opponents, featuring seven series at home and seven away series. In other words, interleague opponents will just play one series against each other. Teams will not play each team home and away. For example, the Tampa Bay Rays and San Francisco Giants will play just one series against each other in 2023.
Adding a permanent designated hitter spot to the National League in 2022 made it so the two leagues are indistinguishable from each other, opening the door for more interleague play. American League teams no longer have to worry about pitchers picking up a bat and hitting for the first time since college. Similarly, National League teams no longer have to worry about pulling a player off the bench to deliver in the designated hitter spot. National League teams now have full-time designated hitters. American League teams and National League teams will be on an equal playing field.
Divisional rivalries may suffer as a result of these changes. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will now only play four series against each other in the regular season, instead of six. Each time the two teams meet — even when one team is at the bottom of the American League East, as the Red Sox are currently — is appointment viewing.
One benefit of the new format though is that teams that play in tougher divisions will have a better chance at making the playoffs than as it stands right now.
Four teams currently have winning records in the American League East right now, and the division's last place team, the Red Sox, is just three games below .500 (60-63).
Conversely the American League Central and American League West have a combined five teams between the two divisions that are firmly 10 games or more below .500. The two divisions have a combined four teams that are firmly 19 games or more below .500.
In MLB's current scheduling format, the A.L. West-leading Houston Astros play more games against sub-.500 teams than the Yankees, or any A.L. East team does, for that matter. Over the course of 162 games, this plays a big role in not only who makes the playoffs, but which team gets home field advantage and a bye from the new wild card round of the playoffs.
While teams in weaker divisions will still be at an advantage over teams in stronger divisions, shrinking the amount of divisional games will level the playing field to some degree.
The 2023 season will once again begin before the start of April, with Opening Day scheduled for March 30.
