70 Fun Facts About 2023 MLB Season

Which franchise won the 2023 World Series, the first championship in its history?

The team was founded in 1961 as the second Washington Senators and moved to the Dallas–Fort Worth area in 1971, so the wait ran more than six decades. Nearly all of the club's postseason wins came on the road.

The 2023 World Series began on October 27 and ended on November 1. How many games were played?

The teams split the first two games in Texas, then the visitors won three straight in Arizona. It was only the third World Series between two wild-card teams.

Who was named 2023 World Series MVP, becoming the first player to win the award in both leagues?

His first World Series MVP came with the Dodgers in 2020. He hit .286 with three home runs and six RBI in the Series, including a game-tying two-run homer in the ninth inning of Game 1.

Who hit the walk-off home run in the 11th inning of Game 1 of the 2023 World Series?

The homer gave him 22 RBI for the postseason, breaking David Freese's 2011 record of 21. He was injured in Game 3 and replaced on the roster before Game 4.

Which manager won his fourth World Series in 2023, only the third to win one in each league?

His first three titles came with the Giants in 2010, 2012 and 2014. Sparky Anderson and Tony La Russa are the other managers to win the World Series in both leagues.

Which reliever won his third straight World Series in 2023, each with a different team?

He won with Atlanta in 2021 and Houston in 2022 before Texas in 2023, the first player ever to take three straight titles with three franchises. He signed with Kansas City to try for a fourth.

What was Texas's record-setting road record in the 2023 postseason?

The team never lost away from home in October and November. Its win in Game 4 of the World Series was its tenth straight road victory, already breaking a record shared by two Yankees teams.

How many games did Ketel Marte's record postseason hitting streak reach?

He passed Hank Bauer, Derek Jeter and Manny Ramírez, who had shared the mark at 17. Because it began with his first postseason game, it was also the longest streak to open a postseason career.

Which player won his second unanimous AL MVP in 2023, the first person ever to win two unanimous MVPs?

He was also named to the All-MLB First Team as both a designated hitter and a starting pitcher, another first, and took his third straight Edgar Martínez Award as the best DH.

Who won the 2023 National League MVP, making it the first year both MVPs were chosen unanimously?

He led the majors with 217 hits, 149 runs and 383 total bases while batting .337 for the Braves. He also won the Hank Aaron Award and was The Sporting News Player of the Year.

The 2023 NL MVP hit 41 homers and stole how many bases, creating MLB's first 40–70 season?

The total set a modern-era Braves franchise record. He had reached the 40–40 club on September 22, joining Jose Canseco, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez and Alfonso Soriano.

Which pitcher won the 2023 NL Cy Young Award, his second, having taken the AL version in 2018?

His 2.25 ERA led the majors, but so did his 99 walks. He then turned down a $20.25 million qualifying offer from the Padres and hit free agency.

Which Yankees ace won the 2023 American League Cy Young Award by unanimous vote?

He went 15–4 with a 2.63 ERA and 222 strikeouts, and closed the season with a complete-game shutout of Toronto. He had also started the All-Star Game, the first Yankee to do so since Roger Clemens in 2001.

Which Orioles infielder won the 2023 American League Rookie of the Year Award?

He also won a Silver Slugger in his rookie season. In June he hit a 462-foot homer onto Eutaw Street, the longest in the 31-year history of Camden Yards.

Which Diamondbacks outfielder was the 2023 National League Rookie of the Year?

He was the first rookie ever with 25 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season, and he had signed an eight-year, $111 million extension in March after just 32 big-league games.

Which first-year Marlins manager won the 2023 National League Manager of the Year Award?

Hired to replace Don Mattingly, he took Miami to the playoffs in his first season, and the club thrived in close games all summer. He left the job late in 2024.

Which manager won the 2023 American League Manager of the Year Award after a 101-win season?

His Baltimore club went from 83 wins to 101 and the AL East title. On September 4 it also set an American League record by going 84 straight series without being swept.

Which Yankees pitcher threw the 24th perfect game in MLB history on June 28, 2023?

It was the first perfect game by a Dominican-born pitcher and the first in the majors since Félix Hernández in 2012. Five weeks later he was placed on the restricted list after a clubhouse incident.

Under the 2023 pitch clock, how many seconds did a pitcher have between pitches with bases empty?

The clock stretched to 20 seconds with a runner on base, and batters had to be alert in the box with eight seconds left or take an automatic strike.

The 2023 rule changes enlarged first, second and third base from 15 inches square to how many?

The bigger bags shortened the distance between bases slightly and were meant to cut collisions and encourage steals. Stolen bases jumped across the league.

Under 2023 MLB rules, how many pickoff 'disengagements' may a pitcher make per plate appearance before risking a balk?

The count resets if a runner advances. A third disengagement that fails to record an out is called a balk and every runner moves up a base.

Under the 2023 shift limits, how many infielders must be on each side of second base at the pitch?

All four infielders must also have both feet on the dirt. If a defense is misaligned, the batting team can take the result of the play or an automatic ball.

Which team opened 2023 with 13 straight wins, tying the modern-era record for the best start to a season?

The 1982 Braves and 1987 Brewers also started 13–0. The club also homered in each of its first 22 games, a record, and won its first 14 home games.

Which team lost 112 games in 2023, the most in the majors that year?

The club started 10–45, tying the 1904 Senators and 1899 Cleveland Spiders for the worst 55-game start ever. Its .309 winning percentage was the franchise's lowest since 1919.

In November 2023, MLB owners unanimously approved the Athletics' relocation to which city?

Nevada's governor had signed a $380 million stadium-funding bill in June. The vote took place at the owners' meeting in Arlington, Texas, days after the World Series ended there.

The Braves tied the single-season team record with how many home runs in 2023?

The mark matched the 2019 Twins. Atlanta also set records with a .501 team slugging percentage and 47 first-inning homers, and had four players hit 35 or more.

How many regular-season games did the Braves win in 2023, the most in the majors?

It earned them a first-round bye, but they were knocked out in four games by Philadelphia in the Division Series for the second straight year.

Opening Day 2023 had all 30 teams playing on the same day, the first time since which year?

It was also the first season of a balanced schedule in which every team played every other team at least once, with just 52 games against division rivals.

Where did the Giants and Padres play a two-game 'MLB World Tour' series in April 2023?

The games were played at Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium in late April. In June the Cardinals and Cubs took the tour to London Stadium.

Which city hosted the 2023 All-Star Game, at T-Mobile Park?

It was the Mariners' third time hosting, after 1979 at the Kingdome and 2001 at the same ballpark under its old name, Safeco Field. Ken Griffey Jr. and Edgar Martínez threw out first pitches.

The National League won the 2023 All-Star Game 3–2. It was the NL's first All-Star win since which year?

The AL had won nine straight. Elias Díaz of the Rockies hit the go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth and became the first Colorado player named All-Star Game MVP.

Who won the 2023 Home Run Derby, joining his father as the first father-son pair to win it?

His father won the 2007 Derby. The 2023 contest produced 341 home runs, the most in the event's history.

Japan won the 2023 World Baseball Classic by beating which defending champion 3–2 in the final?

It was Japan's record third WBC title and it went through the tournament unbeaten. Total attendance of 1,306,414 was the highest in the event's history.

Which US captain and Angels teammate did Japan's closer strike out to end the 2023 World Baseball Classic?

The strikeout came on a 3–2 slider. The game was one of the most-watched baseball broadcasts ever, and Japan's two-way star was named tournament MVP.

The 2023 World Baseball Classic expanded from 16 teams to how many?

The Czech Republic, Great Britain and Nicaragua all made their first appearances. The tournament had originally been scheduled for 2021 and was postponed by the pandemic.

Which pitcher was taken first overall in the 2023 MLB draft?

The pick belonged to Pittsburgh, which won the first-ever MLB draft lottery. The draft was held in the All-Star host city that week, with the first two rounds at Lumen Field.

Which team signed the reigning AL MVP to a record 10-year deal in December 2023?

The deal was structured so that most of the money is deferred to 2034–2043, leaving a salary of just $2 million a year during the contract itself.

How much of the record 10-year contract signed in December 2023 was deferred per season, payable from 2034 to 2043?

That left just $2 million a year in salary from 2024 to 2033. The structure was the player's idea, to give the club room to spend on teammates.

The 2023 AL home run leader was the first Japanese-born player to win a home run title. How many did he hit?

He did it despite missing the season's final two weeks with an oblique strain, and after tearing his elbow ligament in August, which ended his pitching for the year.

Against which team did Shohei Ohtani throw a shutout and then homer twice in a July 27, 2023, doubleheader?

It was the first complete game and first shutout of his MLB career: eight strikeouts, three walks, one single allowed. He was AL Player of the Month for both June and July.

Which slugger became the fastest ever to 250 career home runs in September 2023, in 810 games?

He broke Ryan Howard's mark of 855 games. In the same week his teammate hit his 400th career homer, and both did it in a Yankees season that ended without a playoff spot.

Which Reds rookie hit for the cycle in June 2023, the first Cincinnati player since 1989?

At 21 he was the youngest to hit for the cycle since César Cedeño in 1972. Statcast clocked him and Bobby Witt Jr. as the fastest runners in baseball that year at 30.5 feet per second.

Which Reds call-up in July 2023 had the longest full name on record in MLB history, at 27 characters?

The previous longest, Simeon Woods Richardson of the Twins, was 22 characters. Cincinnati promoted him on July 17.

Which Astros pitcher threw the franchise's first no-hitter by a left-hander, on August 1, 2023?

He faced the minimum 27 batters despite issuing a walk, striking out seven in a 2–0 win over Cleveland. It was the 16th no-hitter in Astros history.

Michael Lorenzen threw a 124-pitch no-hitter on August 9, 2023, in one of his first starts for which team?

It was the club's 14th no-hitter and first since 2015, thrown against Washington a week after he arrived at the trade deadline. He walked four and struck out five.

Which team ended a record 18-game postseason losing streak in the 2023 Wild Card Series?

Royce Lewis homered in his first two at-bats of Game 1 to end the streak, and the club won its first playoff series since 2002. The last playoff win before that had been in the 2004 ALDS.

Which Dodgers starter recorded just one out in Game 1 of the 2023 NLDS against Arizona, his shortest start ever?

The underdog Diamondbacks swept the 100-win Dodgers, a result MLB.com ranked as the sixth-biggest upset in postseason history. He had won his 200th career game earlier that season.

In Game 3 of the 2023 NLDS, Arizona became the first team to hit how many home runs in one postseason inning?

Gabriel Moreno, Geraldo Perdomo, Ketel Marte and Christian Walker each hit solo shots off Lance Lynn in the third inning to complete the sweep of Los Angeles.

Which Athletics rookie broke Kenny Lofton's AL rookie stolen-base record with 67 steals in 2023?

Lofton's mark of 66 had stood since 1992. The record-setter came in a trade from Milwaukee the previous winter, part of the deal that sent Sean Murphy to Atlanta.

Which Dodger set the record for most RBIs by a leadoff hitter in a season, finishing 2023 with 107?

The old record of 103 belonged to Charlie Blackmon in 2017. He finished second in NL MVP voting while playing right field, second base and shortstop.

Who became the first MLB player to play regular-season games in five countries, completing the set in London in 2023?

The five: the U.S., Australia (with Arizona in 2014), Canada, Mexico and England. The Cardinals-Cubs London Series completed the list.

Which team set the record for consecutive wins in one-run games, with 12, in May 2023?

The old record belonged to the 1972 Mets. Miami's knack for close games carried it to a wild-card berth despite being outscored over the season.

Which member of the 500-homer and 3,000-hit clubs played his final season with the Tigers in 2023?

He is the all-time leader in home runs and hits by a Venezuelan player and won three straight AL batting titles from 2011 to 2013. Detroit kept him on as a special assistant.

Which Cardinals pitcher won his 200th career game on September 18, 2023, and retired at season's end?

He was the 122nd pitcher to reach 200 wins, and had announced before the season that it would be his last. Kershaw of the Dodgers had reached 200 five months earlier.

2023 was the first MLB season in which teams were allowed to do what with their uniforms?

The Diamondbacks (Avnet), Red Sox (MassMutual), Reds (Kroger) and Yankees (Starr Insurance) were among the first sellers. The same year, teams were limited to four uniforms plus a City Connect.

Which defending champion did Texas beat in seven games in the 2023 ALCS, the first LCS between same-state teams?

The road team won all seven games, only the second best-of-seven series in MLB history where that happened. Both times the visiting Game 7 starter was Max Scherzer.

With how many regular-season wins did Arizona reach the 2023 World Series, fewest since 2006?

The club had lost 110 games just two years earlier and went 7–25 in one midsummer stretch. It came back from 0–2 down to beat Philadelphia in seven in the NLCS.

Which Dodgers outfielder drove in eight runs in his 2023 season debut, a first for any season opener since 1920?

He hit three home runs that night against Arizona. He had been claimed by the Dodgers from the White Sox the previous summer.

The 2023 World Series set what unwanted viewership record?

Game 3 was the least-watched World Series game ever. Analysts blamed the small national followings of both clubs and a Friday-night opener, though it still topped four of its five nights.

Who threw the ceremonial first pitch before Game 1 of the 2023 World Series?

The former president was once a part-owner of the club. H.E.R. sang the anthem, and Adrián Beltré threw the first pitch before Game 2.

Before the 2023 season Texas signed which ace to a five-year, $185M contract?

He made only six starts before needing Tommy John surgery. Texas then traded for Scherzer, Jordan Montgomery and Aroldis Chapman in-season to patch the staff.

Which Astros manager, then 74, retired after the 2023 season?

He had finally won his first World Series as a manager the year before, in his 25th season. His last game was the ALCS Game 7 loss to Texas.

Which two teams played the 2023 MLB London Series at London Stadium in June?

Paul Goldschmidt used the trip to become the first player to play regular-season games in five countries.

Which Cardinals rookie opened 2023 with a 12-game hitting streak, a feat last done before age 21 in 1912?

Only Eddie Murphy in 1912 had done it so young; the streak ended April 13 against Pittsburgh.

Who became the first player to walk five times in a postseason game, in the 2023 ALDS against Baltimore?

Seager went on to become the first player to win World Series MVP in both leagues.

With a May 10, 2023 win over the Reds, Justin Verlander became which number pitcher to beat all 30 teams?

He pitched for both Houston and the Mets that season.

How many games into 2023 did the Athletics go before a starting pitcher recorded a win, a record?

That broke the 2022 Pirates' mark; the all-time in-season streak of 43 belongs to the 2022 Nationals.

Who won the 2023 American League Comeback Player of the Year award?

The White Sox closer returned from lymphoma treatment; Cody Bellinger took the NL honour.

Which Orioles closer won the 2023 Mariano Rivera AL Reliever of the Year Award?

Milwaukee's Devin Williams took the Trevor Hoffman NL award the same year.

Which Yankee received the 2023 Roberto Clemente Award for humanitarian work?

Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien picked up the Heart & Hustle Award the same season.