2023 National League Wild Card Series
The 2023 National League Wild Card Series were the two best-of-three playoff series in Major League Baseball’s 2023 postseason to determine the participating teams of the National League Division Series. Both Wild Card Series began on October 3, with Game 2s scheduled for October 4. ESPN broadcast both Wild Card Series in the United States together with ESPN Radio.
These matchups are:
- [2023 2023 Milwaukee Brewers season|Milwaukee Brewers season|Milwaukee Brewers] vs. Arizona Diamondbacks : Diamondbacks win series 2–0.
- [2023 2023 Philadelphia Phillies season|Philadelphia Phillies season|Philadelphia Phillies] vs. Miami Marlins : Phillies win series 2–0.
Background
Under the current playoff structure, there are two Wild Card Series in both the American League and National League. The lowest-seeded division winner and three wild card teams in each league play in a best-of-three series after the end of the regular season. The winners of each league's wild card rounds advance to face the two best division winners in that league's Division Series.The Milwaukee Brewers clinched their first postseason appearance since 2021, and their fifth in six seasons on September 22 and the NL Central on September 26. Due to having the worst record of the three National League division winners, they are locked into the third seed. They played host to the sixth-seeded Arizona Diamondbacks, who clinched a postseason berth on September 30, for their first postseason appearance since 2017, and just the second since 2011. Arizona won the season series against Milwaukee, 4–2. Historically, this is the second postseason match-up between the two teams, following the 2011 National League Division Series, which was won by the Brewers in five games.
The Philadelphia Phillies, the defending National League champions, clinched their second straight postseason appearance on September 26 and also clinched the fourth-seed as the best non-division winner and home-field advantage for the wild card series. They played host to the fifth-seeded Miami Marlins, who clinched a postseason berth on September 30. Miami won the season series against Philadelphia, 7–6, despite being outscored 64–55. This is the first postseason match-up between the NL East division rivals.
As the top two division winners, the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers earned a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the NLDS.
Milwaukee vs. Arizona
This was the second postseason match-up between Milwaukee and Arizona, following the 2011 National League Division Series which Milwaukee won in five games.Game 1
Corbin Burnes started for Milwaukee, while rookie Brandon Pfaadt started for Arizona. The Brewers scored in the bottom of the first on a Carlos Santana RBI single that scored Christian Yelich. In the second, Tyrone Taylor hit a two-run home run off Pfaadt to give the Brewers a 3–0 lead. Arizona answered with a two-run home run from Corbin Carroll in the top of the third. With this homer, Carroll became the youngest-ever Diamondback to homer in the postseason. The next batter, Ketel Marte, hit a solo home run to tie the game at three. The Brewers loaded the bases in the bottom of the third but did not score. Gabriel Moreno hit a solo homer in the fourth to give Arizona a one-run lead. The Brewers loaded the bases with one out in the fifth, but third baseman Evan Longoria turned a double play to get the Diamondbacks out of the jam. Christian Walker added to Arizona's lead in the top of the ninth with a two-run double, making it 6–3. Paul Sewald earned the save for the Diamondbacks. This ended a seven-game road losing streak for Arizona in the postseason dating back to the 2007 NLCS.Game 2
Game 2 was déjà vu for Milwaukee as they scored two quick runs against Arizona's ace Zac Gallen in the first inning. Freddy Peralta was dealing early in Game 2. He struck out five through 3 innings and had a no-hitter going through four scoreless innings. Diamondbacks center fielder Alek Thomas homered to break up the no-no in the fifth. The Diamondbacks rallied for four runs in the sixth inning with Corbin Carroll's double making it a serious threat and Ketel Marte's two-RBI single giving Arizona the lead. A wild pitch and then a blooper with eyes scored the next two runs to give the Diamondbacks a 5–2 lead, which ended up being the final score.With Milwaukee's defeat, the NL Central as a division moved to a combined 0–7 in postseason series since 2020. This was also Craig Counsell's last game as Brewers' manager, as he signed with the rival Chicago Cubs in the off-season.