The opening week of the 2023 MLB baseball season brought a mix of tradition and innovation to the field. New rules such as pitch clocks, larger bases, and shiftless infields were introduced to speed up the game and keep fans engaged.
The Tampa Bay Rays made history as the first team in seven years to start 6-0, showing impressive form early in the season. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Pirates swept the Boston Red Sox, and the Atlanta Braves swept the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Milwaukee Brewers made a statement by hitting three straight home runs off ace pitcher Max Scherzer, beating the New York Mets 9-0. The LA Dodgers dominated the Arizona Diamondbacks with a whopping 20-7 run differential in a four-game series, although the teams ultimately split the series.
Week 1 - Power Rankings
- Houston Astros (3-4)
- NY Yankees (4-2)
- Atlanta Braves (5-1)
- SD Padres (3-3)
- TB Rays (6-0)
- SL Cardinals (2-4)
- NY Mets (3-4)
- LA Dodgers (4-2)
- Cleveland Guardians (4-2)
- Minnesota Twins (4-2)
Standout Individual Performances
- Tray Thompson blasted three homers in a single game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, sending fans into a frenzy.
- Shohei Ohtani proved he's still a force to be reckoned with, striking out 10 batters over six scoreless innings in his season debut, although the LA Angels came up short in a 2-1 loss to the Oakland A's.
- Elvis Andrus joined an exclusive club of Venezuelan players with his 2,000th career hit.
- Jordan Walker hit his first career dinger - a coming-of-age moment for any rising star.
With plenty of games left to play, fans can look forward to an unpredictable and thrilling season of America's favorite pastime.