Ranking the 3 Most Crucial Series Left for the St. Louis Cardinals

The NL Central race is perhaps the hottest in the major leagues—and has been all year. With the Cardinals, Pirates and Reds all edging closer to the playoffs, winning the division and avoiding the Wild Card Game is more important than ever. And it's up for grabs!

Mike Matheny's Cardinals have just nine more series left, and three of them are against their aforementioned competition. So which are the most crucial?

I've taken a look at the schedule and picked what I believe to be the three must-win series to finish off 2013 based on the playoff race in addition to talent, location, timing and rivalries. 

Read on to find out when you'll be holding your breath!

*All records are from mlb.com and are current as of August 28, 2013* 

Vs. Cubs, September 27-29

Cardinals Current 2013 Record: 78-55

Cubs Current 2013 Record: 56-77

Sure, the Cubs aren't a threat to take the Central. But they are a threat to play spoiler, and you know there's no one they'd rather spoil than their archrivals.

If September follows the pattern of the rest of 2013, this last series of the season very well may be the deciding factor. And if the Cards perform poorly in the first week of the month, they'll be scrambling to make up for it right until the gasp-inducing end.

At Reds, September 2-5

Cardinals Current 2013 Record: 78-55

Reds Current 2013 Record: 75-59

The Reds have been living right underneath the Cardinals and the Pirates in the standings for some time now. And it wouldn't be a shock to anyone to see them rise through the ranks at the last minute. Although the Cardinals took two out of three in their latest series against Cincy, we all saw on Wednesday night what the Reds can do at the plate.

Four games in enemy territory will not only be a deciding factor in the NL Central crown, but will help demonstrate how the Cards could measure up come October.

At Pirates, August 30-September 1

Cardinals Current 2013 Record: 78-55

Pirates Current 2013 Record: 75-59

The surprise Bucs have been the biggest thorn in the Cardinals' side this year. They're hungry after not having had a winning season in 11 years. And all of this means they're first on my list.

The Cards have two upcoming series against Pittsburgh—one in the Steel City and one at home in St. Louis. Choosing the away games is a no-brainer for anyone who remembers the roar of a starved crowd when the Pirates took four out of five in late July and early August. 

If the Cardinals can put on a show this weekend, I'd say they have a leg up continuing on through the home stretch.