UPDATED Standings as of Friday Morning
The MLB Playoff Standings are finally set. The 2013 Wild Card Games are over and the matchups are defined. The Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals now have opponents and the brackets are ready for the Division Series to begin. Check out all the matchups as the 2013 MLB postseason officially takes off Thursday evening.
National League Division Series
Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Game 1 will be played today (Thursday) as the Braves and Dodgers hook up in what could be a crazy pitchers' duel. The Dodgers will have Clayton Kershaw on the mound and the Braves will have a red hot Kris Medlen. The Braves and Dodgers played great baseball during the regular season, but they both struggled in September. Which of these teams will wind up on top?
Regular Season Series: Braves won series 5-2
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
The Cardinals and Pirates hook up for at least 22 games this season as they will play in the division series. The Pirates dominated the Cincinnati Reds behind great pitching and clutch hitting from Marlon Byrd, Andrew McCutchen and Russell Martin. Can the pitching keep up with the Cardinals' hitters in the NLDS? The Cardinals have a young pitching staff, but their hitting is experienced.
American League Division Series
Detroit Tigers vs. Oakland Athletics
Once again, these two hook up in the ALDS. The Tigers escaped Game 5 last season and the Athletics will look to follow up on that performance that left them threatening in the bottom of the ninth. The Coliseum should be a mad house in Oakland as the Athletics once again host the series. Miguel Cabrera is hurt, according to Jim Leyland. So maybe the A's can take advantage.
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Boston Red Sox
Welcome to another divisional matchup in the .... Division Series. How appropriate. The A.L. East will be featured in this battle as the Red Sox meet their blazing foe. The Rays have battled through two, one-game eliminitions so far and they have succeeded on back-to-back occasion. How dangerous can they be in a five-game series? Can they defeat baseball's best?
