The second half of the MLB season gets underway tonight, Friday the 13th. The question is, which teams are going to get off to an unlucky start? Although there are plenty of games to go after this weekend, the teams that really jump out hot are going to be in the best position to make a run over the next two months.

There is one key match-up to keep an eye on tonight; the Pittsburgh Pirates at Atlanta Braves. On paper this may not sound like much of a game, but if you take a closer look at the standings, you will see why it is so important. The Pirates were 7-3 in their last 10 games before the All-Star break. This was good enough to get them to within nine games of first place. And for fans in Pittsburgh, this is just about as good as it has been as of late.

In the other dugout, the Braves are also fighting for the chance to make the playoffs. They may be in better shape than the Pirates, but it is safe to say that they have their work cut out for them. At 47-42, they are two games back of the New York Mets in the National League East. If they are going to roll into first place anytime soon, a good series this weekend will give them the momentum needed to make this happen.

There are plenty of games being played on this first weekend back from the break. And it is safe to say that these games will give everybody an indication of which teams are serious about making the postseason.

Source: flagline.com