The 2023 Major League Baseball postseason is down to just four teams. The ALCS kicks off Sunday with the Astros and Rangers in a Lone Star State face-off between two AL West rivals. The division came down to the last day of the regular season and Houston squeaked out with the win, but will the same come true when it's head-to-head? Meanwhile, the NLCS will pit the surprise Diamondbacks against the upstart Phillies, who rode a wave of good vibes and home runs to take down the Braves in the NLDS. The LCS round is best-of-seven series, so we could be in for the long haul.
To get us ready, we CBS Sports MLB experts have put pen to paper with our predictions. They don't mean much and anything can happen, which is why baseball is so fun. But that said, here's what we've got:
(You can check out the full playoff bracket and schedule here.)
Phillies vs. Diamondbacks
Anderson: The Diamondbacks have been a great story this month, and really all year. They have a bright future with Corbin Carroll and some of the other youngsters they have climbing the ladder. I just can't talk myself into them knocking off this Phillies team when they're so dependent on two starting pitchers. (It doesn't help that they were in the bottom-third of the league in production against fastballs/sinkers in the lower part of the zone.) Maybe it happens, but I don't think the ingredients are here like they were in the NLDS. I'll go with the Phillies to repeat as NL champions in six games. Pick: Phillies in 6
Axisa: The D-backs are a reminder you can't simply look at regular season record to measure the quality of the team. You have to look at the team they take into the postseason. Arizona's bullpen issues were solved when they traded for Paul Sewald and signed Ryan Thompson (and called up Andrew Saalfrank) later in the season, and young players like Alek Thomas and Gabriel Moreno really started to come into their own down the stretch. They are a much better team than their 84-78 record. That said, I have to go with the Phillies, who have the deeper lineup and deeper pitching staff, and immaculate vibes. Manager Rob Thomson couldn't push the wrong button if he tried. The D-backs are a very fun and entertaining team. Ultimately, I think the Phillies are just better right now, so I'm going with them. Pick: Phillies in 6
Feldman: I've learned my lesson: never bet against the Phillies. The Diamondbacks are a very good club (every single MLB team would be lucky to have Corbin Carroll) but the Phillies are unstoppable. Is that scientific? Maybe not, but when the baseball gods have so clearly chosen a favorite, what else can we do but sit back and enjoy the ride? Pick: Phillies in 5
Perry: I think I may see this one as a closer call than most observers do, in part because of the way the D-backs addressed their bullpen shortcomings during the season. Ultimately, though, I lean Philly because of the power bats, the high-velocity relievers, and the one-two punch of Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola. Pick: Phillies in 7
Pianovich: Much respect to the Chaos Snakes, who absolutely bullied the Dodgers in the NLDS. These Phillies present a different challenge. Even if Nick Castellanos and his sky-high ring finger come back to earth, it seems like Kyle Schwarber (who has six home runs in 41 career NLCS at-bats), Alec Bohm or someone else will fill the void. Bryce Harper is in a if-you-throw-him-a-pitch-to-hit-he-will-hit-it-420-feet zone. It sure feels like the Fall Classic is coming back to South Philly. Pick: Phillies in 5
Snyder: The Diamondbacks are a fun team (Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte at the top!) and I love that they stuck with Torey Lovullo after losing 110 games in his fifth season when so many other teams would have fired him, but I have a hunch the run is over. The Phillies are built for a deep playoff run and it's going to happen now that they've dispatched the Braves. Pick: Phillies in 5
Astros vs. Rangers
Anderson: This should be fun. It was basically a coin flip for me. I continue to have reservations about the middle of the Rangers bullpen, so I picked the Astros. A World Series rematch hasn't happened since 1977-78. Let's get wild and crazy and run back last year's Fall Classic. Pick: Astros in 7
Axisa: As I write this, we still don't have much clarity on Max Scherzer's status but I'm not sure it even matters. How effective will he be coming off the injury and long layoff? I'm going with Texas because their lineup is so deep -- Houston's lineup is very good, but is top heavy -- and I think, at worst, Nathan Eovaldi and Jordan Montgomery can match Justin Verlander and Framber Valdez. This series could be decided by the back of the rotation and the bullpens. I don't entirely trust the Texas bullpen -- Aroldis Chapman might be the last big name reliever I want on the mound in a pressure situation in October -- but I'm going to say the Rangers figure out a way to win a highly competitive seven-game series. Pick: Rangers in 7
Feldman: Almost every series we've seen so far has been a complete domination by one team. No chance Astros-Rangers ends that way (at least, I hope not). Both of these teams have their weak spots, but the top of Houston's lineup can make up for the bottom and Texas sure seems like it's getting Max Scherzer back, plus Nathan Eovaldi looked like his once-and-future ace self again last start. Yordan Alvarez might just hit six home runs and make this all moot but Corey Seager could do the same. Pick: Rangers in 7
Perry: I truly have no idea, and I see the potential for a classic here. The Texas lineup is healthy, and the front office did an admirable job of addressing the rotation after injuries struck. Both offenses are powerhouses, but I lean Astros because of a narrow edge in rotation depth and a more substantial edge in the bullpen. Really, though, this is a coin-flip series for me. Pick: Astros in 7
Pianovich: Which team will be the lone star of the American League? My guess is the one that employs Yordan Alvarez and has much more postseason experience than its opponent. Yeehaw. Pick: Astros in 6
Snyder: Heading into the playoffs, the Rangers' rotation was a major question mark. Now, it actually looks pretty good. Jordan Montgomery was already steady, but Nathan Eovaldi looks like he's back to his first-half self and that version was one of the best pitchers in baseball. The Andrew Heaney-Dane Dunning combo, especially with them being lefty-righty, looks like a very good Frankenstein-type starter and then there's Max Scherzer. The Rangers crush the ball at home and I can't shake the feeling that the Astros' home woes will bite them. Remember, they were 39-42 in the regular season at home and they were swept by the lowly Royals -- after they painted around the batter's eye -- in what looked like a must-win series. The Rangers get four games in Houston, including Game 7. Pick: Rangers in 7
