MLB Playoff Picture 2023: Reviewing Experts' Picks for Updated World Series Bracket

The divisional series in the 2023 MLB Playoffs are upon us, with World Series contenders such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, and Houston Astros making their postseason debuts.

They will take to the diamond to battle Wild Card winners who will be more rested than expected following sweeps in every series but still hold the home-field advantage.

Do experts from top sites and publications believe those are the four teams to watch in this upcoming round, and are the aforementioned Braves really as unstoppable as they seem?

Find out with this look at the brackets.

ALDS Schedule

Rob Carr/Getty Images

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - OCTOBER 01: Gunnar Henderson #2 of the Baltimore Orioles bats against the Boston Red Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on October 01, 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Saturday, October 7

Texas Rangers at Baltimore Orioles (1:03 p.m., FS1)

Minnesota Twins at Houston Astros (4:45 p.m., FS1)

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Sunday, October 8

Texas Rangers at Baltimore Orioles (4:07 p.m., FS1)

Minnesota Twins at Houston Astros (8:03 p.m., FS1)

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Tuesday, October 10

Houston Astros at Minnesota Twins (4:07 p.m., FOX)

Baltimore Orioles at Texas Rangers (8:03 p.m., FOX)

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Wednesday, October 11*

Houston Astros at Minnesota Twins (TBD, FOX/FS1)

Baltimore Orioles at Texas Rangers (TBD, FOX/FS1)

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Friday, October 13*

Texas Rangers at Baltimore Orioles (TBD, FOX/FS1)

Minnesota Twins at Houston Astros (TBD, FOX/FS1)

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* if necessary

NLDS Schedule

Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images

PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 04: Brandon Marsh #16 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates with teammates after Game 2 of the Wild Card Series against the Miami Marlins at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday, October 4, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Saturday, October 7

Philadelphia Phillies at Atlanta Braves (6:07 p.m., TBS)

Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Dodgers (9:20, TBS)

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Monday, October 9

Philadelphia Phillies at Atlanta Braves (6:07 p.m., TBS)

Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Dodgers (9:07, TBS)

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Wednesday, October 11

Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies (TBD, TBS)

Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks (TBD, TBS)

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Thursday, October 12*

Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies (TBD, TBS)

Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks (TBD, TBS)

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Saturday, October 14*

Philadelphia Phillies at Atlanta Braves (TBD, TBS)

Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Dodgers (TBD, TBS)

Expert Picks

Zac BonDurant/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

PHOENIX, AZ - OCTOBER 01: Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker Jr. (12) gets interviewed after clinching the AL West Division after a baseball game between the Houston Astros and the Arizona Diamondbacks on October 1st, 2023, at Chase Field in Phoenix, AZ. (Photo by Zac BonDurant/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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

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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

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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

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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

Can the Braves Be Stopped?

Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images

PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 13: Ronald Acuna Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves (holding camera) and Orlando Arcia #11 celebrate with other teammates after defeating the Philadelphia Phillies to clinch the NL East at Citizens Bank Park on September 13, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images)

The AL East champions finished the season with the best record in baseball (104-58), home run leader (Matt Olson, 54), and a generational player in Ronald Acuña Jr., who compiled a nearly unheard-of stat line of ".335 with 40 home runs, 215 hits, 80 extra-base hits, 100 RBIs, 145 runs and a 1.000 OPS with fewer than 90 strikeouts," per MLB.com.

They also smashed a total of 307 home runs.

On the surface, they look like an unstoppable force entering the divisional series but there is one element of the team's game that should have fans worried as they prepare to battle a heavy-hitting Philadelphia Phillies squad.

The Braves have not had a single game since September 14 in which they have allowed less than three runs.

Pitching has been a concern for Atlanta and should remain so.

Of the teams remaining in the playoffs, only Arizona and Texas have worse collective team ERA than the Braves' 4.14. They have given up 187 home runs this season and really only have one pitcher that intimidates other batters, that being Spencer Strider.

Even he started the season fantastically, only to see his ERA balloon after June before finishing closer to four than three.

The team can be hit hard, often, and out of the park, and against a Phillies team that has its fair share of hitters with postseason experience, that could be a potentially dangerous combination.

Of course, that suggests the Braves will suddenly stop hitting themselves, shut out, and be rendered futile by a division foe. That is unlikely to happen but if the Phils can manage to keep the NL East champs at four runs or fewer, they have a very real shot at upsetting the World Series favorites and advancing to their second, consecutive NLCS.