World Series 2023: Reviewing Picks from MLB Experts

To say it has been a rough MLB postseason for expert prognosticators would be an understatement of epic proportions.

Two of the three teams with the best record in the sport (Baltimore and Los Angeles) have been eliminated by teams whose postseason fates were not determined until the last day of the season.

The third, the Atlanta Braves, were the best team in the sport all season long but are on the brink of elimination at the hands of division rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies.

Ahead of what may be a division series-clinching win for Bryce Harper and Co., here is a look back at a few expert picks and the shape they are in approaching the American and National League Championship Series.

Matt Snyder (CBS Sports)

NLDS: Atlanta over Philadelphia

NLDS: Los Angeles over Arizona

ALDS: Baltimore over Texas

ALDS: Houston over Minnesota

NLCS: Atlanta over Los Angeles

ALCS: Baltimore over Houston

World Series: Atlanta over Baltimore

Bill Trocchi (Sporting News)

NLDS: Atlanta over Philadelphia

NLDS: Los Angeles over Arizona

ALDS: Minnesota over Houston

ALDS: Texas over Baltimore

NLCS: Atlanta over Los Angeles

ALCS: Texas over Minnesota

World Series: Atlanta over Texas

Liz Roscher (Yahoo Sports)

NLDS: Atlanta over Philadelphia

NLDS: Los Angeles over Arizona

ALDS: Houston over Toronto

ALDS: Baltimore over Tampa Bay

NLCS: Atlanta over Los Angeles

ALCS: Baltimore over Houston

World Series: Atlanta over Baltimore

Ben Verlander (FOX Sports)

NLDS: Atlanta over Philadelphia

NLDS: Los Angeles over Arizona

ALDS: Houston over Minnesota

ALDS: Baltimore over Tampa Bay

NLCS: Atlanta over Los Angeles

ALCS: Houston over Baltimore

World Series: Houston over Atlanta

The Arizona Diamondbacks were on nobody's radar, a team that essentially backed into the playoffs following a three-game sweep at the hands of the Houston Astros that allowed the defending World Series champions to win the AL West title.

All the D'backs have done since then is sweep the NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers and NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers, setting themselves up for a showdown with either the red-hot Philadelphia Phillies or the NL East champion Atlanta Braves.

Sure-to-be NL Rookie of the Year Corbin Carroll is hitting .412 this postseason, with two home runs, six total runs, seven hits, two stolen bases, and an on-base average of .565.

He has been among the best players in baseball this postseason, earning all of the attention and praise he received during the regular season.

Ketel Marte has matched Carroll in home runs and hits, driven in four runs, and stolen a base.

Their defense has been solid, allowing just 13 runs in five games against potent offenses, while the offense has not scored less than four runs in those match-ups.

Like the Phillies elsewhere in the conference, Arizona did what it needed to in order to get in the proverbial dance. Except, with 84 wins, they were the worst team to clinch a spot in the postseason.

Now, they are four wins away from representing the National League in the Fall Classic, something few could have imagined from a squad with promising youth, but no real prospects of contending for the top prize in baseball considering the path through the sport's best that they would have to take.

To suggest that the Houston Astros were overlooked by pundits entering the postseason would be fair.

The defending world champions struggled with health and pitching all season and the idea of them being able to run it back in a league that featured a young, high-powered Orioles team, a big-money Rangers roster, and a Twins squad that featured their former teammate Carlos Correa, was understandably questionable.

Like the regular season, these playoffs have been anything but pretty for the Astros.

Ace Framber Valdez was hit hard in game two against Minnesota, giving up seven hits, and five earned runs in just 4.1 innings of work. The bats came alive and roughed up the AL Central champs in the first and third games, and Houston was able to fend off the Twins in a deciding Game 4.

Unpretty, sure, but the results are undeniable.

Houston knows what it needs to do to go on a run to the World Series.

So does manager Dusty Baker, who got over the proverbial hump a year ago.

Opposing him in the ALCS? Just Bruce Bochy, himself a three-time World Series-winning manager with the San Francisco Giants. If there was one skipper in this postseason with the ability and knowledge to knock off Baker and Co., it is Bochy.

But will he?

It will be tough, even with the red-hot roster he will bring with him.

After an abysmal start to his time in Houston, Jose Abreu has heated up this postseason, hitting three home runs and tallying eight RBIs. Yordan Alvarez has accounted for seven total runs, four homers, six RBIs, and an OPS of 1.783.

That one-two punch, coupled with postseason veterans Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, and Kyle Tucker make for a tough match-up for any opposing team, especially considering their success since 2017.

The Astros have played in four World Series since then and not missed a single ALCS in that span. They have been the epitome of consistency and are seemingly made for these spots. Not only do they know the pressure, and apparently thrive under it, but they have a 9-4 record here in 2023 against these Rangers.

There is much to be said about momentum, as we have seen with Texas, Philadelphia, and Arizona in these playoffs, but there is also something to be said about the "been here, done this" mentality that the Astros will approach the high-stakes series with.

In a season in which they were written off by experts and opposing fans, neither of which they are likely all that concerned with.