MLB Division Series: Day 1 takeaways, keys to Game 2

It used to be a Super Saturday within the 2023 MLB playoffs.

After 4 wild-card sweeps on Wednesday, all 8 last groups have been in motion Saturday, beginning with Game 1 of the American League Division Series. The visiting Texas Rangers defeated the Baltimore Orioles to get started the day, adopted through the Houston Astros beating the Minnesota Twins at Minute Maid Park. In the openers of the 2 National League Division Series, the Philadelphia Phillies downed the Atlanta Braves, adopted through the Arizona Diamondbacks thumping the Los Angeles Dodgers within the shortest get started of Clayton Kershaw’s profession.

We’ve were given you coated with our takeaways from every sequence opener and what to know for Game 2.

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Takeaways

Arizona Diamondbacks 11, Los Angeles Dodgers 2: Clayton Kershaw entered this postseason as the one member of the Dodgers’ Opening Day rotation nonetheless status, which makes his efficiency — 5 earned runs ahead of recording his first out, an go out ahead of finishing his 2d — all of the extra troubling. The Dodgers’ postseason pitching plan consisted of a large number of beginners, a large number of relievers and a large number of unconventionality. They wanted consistency and effectiveness out of Kershaw, who used to be in a position to supply that during the last two regular-season months regardless of a noticeably unwell shoulder.

Now one has to ponder whether the Dodgers can depend on Kershaw in any capability this month. They would possibly nonetheless win this sequence (there is a explanation why they received 16 extra video games this season, after all). But the extra off-day permits the D-backs to get started Kelly and Zac Gallen, their two aces, 4 instances in 5 days on standard relaxation. And one of the vital swings from the likes of Corbin Carroll, Tommy Pham and Alek Thomas, the latter of whom homered to cap a 14-pitch at-bat within the 7th inning, permits you to know that a few of Arizona’s key hitters are on level.

The Dodgers formally have their fingers complete — particularly if Kershaw isn’t wholesome sufficient to be dependable. — Alden Gonzalez

One factor to know for Game 2: Road groups that take the primary two video games of a best-of-five sequence have received stated sequence 28 out of 31 instances. The D-backs can put a demise grip on those Dodgers. But they are going to desire a Kelly-like reversal from Gallen, a Cy Young contender who additionally struggled towards the Dodgers this season, permitting 11 runs in 10 innings via two regular-season begins. The Dodgers will flip their hopes to Bobby Miller, a rookie who stands as their maximum gifted pitcher nowadays. Miller, 24, throws his fastball within the triple digits and includes a devastating curveball. The Dodgers additionally imagine he has the kind of self assurance to thrive in those situations. We shall see.

Philadelphia Phillies 3, Atlanta Braves 0: With neither Zack Wheeler nor Aaron Nola to be had, the Phillies leaned on Johnny Wholestaff to protected a win, Voltron-ing Ranger Suarez’s 3⅔ innings with a revolving door of relievers into an ace-level efficiency: 4 hits, 0 runs, 2 walks, 8 strikeouts. All this towards the most productive offense in years, if no longer a long time, restricting the Braves to 0 runs.

Spencer Strider used to be superb for the Braves, however Bryce Harper delivered a knockout blow, going deep off of a Strider backfoot slider within the 6th to make it 2-0. Controversy erupted within the 8th inning as Sean Murphy used to be known as for a catcher’s interference that led to a run and used to be upheld on replay, making it 3-0. Dozens of drinks landed within the outfield from irate Braves enthusiasts.

The narrative has now shifted from if the popular Braves will ship on their regular-season domination within the postseason to if the Dave Dombrowski/Rob Thomson/Harper/Wheeler-led Phillies merely have extra postseason mojo than the Braves. — Kiley McDaniel

One factor to know for Game 2: Game 1 felt like a recreation the Braves had to have on this sequence. Playing at house, with Strider going towards a tumbler no longer named Wheeler or Nola. Now the following two video games will supply a large take a look at for an Atlanta workforce hoping to keep away from a 2d immediately October unhappiness, because the Braves can be up towards Philly’s two aces, beginning with Wheeler, whilst their very own Game 2 starter, Max Fried, has been hampered through a blister downside overdue within the season.

Houston Astros 6, Minnesota Twins 4: The ultimate time the Houston Astros misplaced an American League Division Series house recreation used to be to Kansas City on Oct. 12, 2015. Since then, they have got received a dozen consecutive video games, together with their 6-4 victory Saturday afternoon to kick off their department sequence showdown towards a recreation Minnesota Twins workforce.

Perhaps this doesn’t come as a wonder, seeing because the Astros are looking for their 7th consecutive AL Championship Series berth, however even the most productive of groups stumble at house every so often. Not the Astros. Two wins in 2017, two in 2018, 3 in 2019, two in 2021, two in 2022 and the most recent Saturday, when Justin Verlander threw six shutout innings, Jose Altuve led off the sport with a house run and Yordan Alvarez added a couple of homers. The Astros are a nightmare for warring parties on account of the ones 3 and a forged of alternative characters, together with the Minute Maid Park crowd that continues to be a few of the maximum raucous within the recreation most of these years later. — Jeff Passan

One factor to know for Game 2: The ultimate time we noticed Alvarez within the postseason, he used to be taking a 99 mph fastball from Jose Alvarado out to lifeless heart box, 450 ft into the evening, to put the Astros forward within the World Series-clinching Game 6. He’s again this yr, as excellent as ever, with a couple of house runs in Game 1 of the department sequence towards Minnesota, and if there are any questions concerning the Astros’ talent to make any other deep run this October, they start and finish with Alvarez. He’s so excellent that he quietly places in combination absurd months like September, when he batted .294/.441/.620 with 8 house runs, 20 RBIs and extra walks (19) than strikeouts (18). The talent to single-handedly raise a workforce is a rarity in baseball. Alvarez is able to it, and whilst he struggled in 25 plate appearances towards the Twins within the steady season, his propensity to pass on series-defining warmers has Minnesota cautious of what lies forward.

Texas Rangers 3, Baltimore Orioles 2: Game 1 between the Rangers and Orioles featured some very good protection, some intriguing bullpen choices, a pumped-up Orioles crowd and, maximum of all, two Texas beginners who stole the headlines. Evan Carter persevered his upward push to stardom with an RBI double and two extra walks, whilst Josh Jung blasted a house run to heart box. Then the Rangers’ bullpen hung on for a one-run victory.

The bullpen used to be the largest query for each groups heading into the sequence, and Rangers supervisor Bruce Bochy requested his to get 16 outs. Texas relievers gave up only one run and confronted a few aggravating moments — like when Aroldis Chapman walked the primary two batters within the backside of the 8th however escaped with a double play (Jung made a pleasant play at 3rd base to get started it) and a strikeout. Jose Leclerc gave up a leadoff unmarried within the 9th to Gunnar Henderson, however Henderson were given stuck stealing to temporarily stifle a looming rally.

Indeed, the much-maligned Texas bullpen appeared to select up a few of that magic Bochy all the time had in October when he controlled the Giants to 3 World Series together with his bullpen all the time stepping up giant. One recreation is hardly ever a definitive resolution, however the ‘pen has delivered in 3 playoff video games thus far. If that continues, the Rangers can pass some distance. — David Schoenfield

One factor to know for Game 2: Game 1 was a matchup of bullpens, and Rangers supervisor Bruce Bochy undoubtedly were given the easier of Orioles supervisor Brandon Hyde — no longer that Hyde did anything else unsuitable, however the Orioles platoon at a few spots within the lineup and Bochy just about were given the matchups he sought after.

Game 2 can be somewhat extra standard with Jordan Montgomery beginning, however that leaves the Orioles in the similar place as Game 1: Henderson slides down within the order since he is worse towards southpaws, and Ryan O’Hearn begins the sport at the bench. Given the roll Montgomery has been on — two runs over his previous 34 innings, together with seven scoreless towards the Rays within the wild-card sequence — the Orioles’ ideally suited likelihood may well be to as soon as once more simply stay it shut and hope to beat the Texas bullpen overdue within the recreation. And no longer to get stuck stealing.

Relive the day