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The 2023 MLB season was among the most exciting in recent memory. Rule changes -- such as a new pitch clock and larger bases -- sped up the game and introduced new strategy, while a first-time World Series champion was crowned and the sport's biggest star changed teams after an intense free agency.
These are the top moments and stories that defined baseball in 2023, from the Mets' mistakes to a Texas-sized triumph in November.
The 5 most memorable MLB storylines from 2023
The New York Mets' stunning collapse
The Mets won 101 games in 2022 and figured they were close enough to championship contention to just go for it. To that end, owner Steve Cohen greenlit the largest payroll in baseball history. After signing starting pitchers Justin Verlander (two years, $86.7 million) and Kodai Senga (five years, $75 million) -- not to mention extending relief pitcher Edwin Diaz (five years, $102 million) and outfielder Brandon Nimmo (eight years, $162 million) -- the Mets took the field in April with a bulging $340 million payroll.
But dreams soon evaporated of these expensive stars leading the Mets to their first World Series championship since 1986. New York started slowly and never recovered, finishing the season with a brutally-disappointing 75-87 record. Verlander and Max Scherzer were traded after the All-Star break in July; Scherzer went on to win the World Series (more on that later). Diaz missed the entire season after suffering a patellar tendon injury in March. Manager Buck Showalter and general manager Billy Eppler were let go following the season.
Acua goes 40/70 -- and wins MVP unanimously
Braves superstar Ronald Acua was the driving force behind Atlanta's 104-win regular season. The outfielder broke new ground in baseball by becoming the first player ever to hit 40 home runs and steal 70 bases in the same season.
Acua tied his career high with 41 homers, and his 73 steals were the most in MLB -- proving to skeptical observers that the league made the right call in expanding the size of the bases to make the steal a more important part of the game. Acua led the majors in hits, runs scored, and on-base percentage in a season for the ages -- but Atlanta flamed out in the playoffs, losing to the rival Philadelphia Phillies in the NL Division Series. Nevertheless, Acua was the logical choice for NL MVP and received every first-place vote.
Arizona's amazing run to the World Series
In 2021, the Arizona Diamondbacks had the worst record in the NL and needed a walkoff home run on the season's final day to avoid tying the franchise record for losses in a season. Two years later, the Diamondbacks won the pennant and played in the World Series for only the second time in team history.
The Diamondbacks, who lost 110 games in 2021, made the World Series in 2023 after an 84-win regular season that saw them secure their postseason place in their penultimate game. But once they got in, they embraced the chaos and eliminated the Milwaukee Brewers, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Philadelphia Phillies -- winning the final two games on the road -- to advance to the Fall Classic. Outfielder Corbin Carroll won Rookie of the Year honors following the season, while ace right-hander Zac Gallen finished third in NL Cy Young Award voting.
Rangers claim first-ever championship
The Texas Rangers ended the Diamondbacks' charmed run through the postseason with a World Series win that no baseball fan in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex will ever forget. Texas had come close before but finally got over the hump in 2023, defeating Arizona in five games to win its first title -- after a 62-year wait.
The Rangers loaded up on high-priced free agents like Jacob deGrom (five years, $185 million), Marcus Semien (seven years, $175 million), and Corey Seager (10 years, $325 million) while luring three-time World Series champion Bruce Bochy out of retirement to manage the group and eventually acquiring Scherzer from the Mets.
Although deGrom missed most of the season through injury, Semien led the AL in hits and Seager won World Series MVP honors. Outfielder Adolis Garcia was injured during the Fall Classic, but he almost singlehandedly willed the Rangers to the pennant -- he hit .357 with five home runs and 15 RBI in the AL Championship Series against Houston.
Shohei Ohtani becomes baseball's first $700 million man
The most coveted free agent in baseball history has perhaps altered the sport's landscape for the next decade. Shohei Ohtani, the two-way superstar and two-time AL MVP, agreed to leave the Los Angeles Angels and sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Dec. 11, announcing his choice in a basic Instagram post and later putting his signature on a 10-year, $700 million contract.
In one of the most unique arrangements in sports history, Ohtani has further agreed to defer the vast majority of his $70 million annual salary. A whopping $680 million of the money owed to the Japanese phenom will be paid out beginning in 2034, after his contract expires with the Dodgers. But in the meantime, Los Angeles has used the unexpected financial flexibility to trade for star pitcher Tyler Glasnow and figures to get involved in the bidding for more superstars thanks to Ohtani's gesture.
During his introductory press conference, Ohtani said he wants nothing more than to win championships. Even though he won't be able to pitch in 2024 due to injury, he'll do just about everything else he can to bring another title to Dodger Stadium.