MLB Playoff Schedule 2014: Updated ALCS, NLDS Bracket, Day 5 Predictions

After watching Kansas City and Baltimore sweep their respective 2014 MLB playoff series Sunday, baseball fans are ready to watch what happens in Monday's two National League Division series matchups.

This year’s postseason schedule has lived up to the hype thus far, and the intense action in both the American and National League playoffs has hardcore and casual baseball fans alike tuning into the October spectacle.

Here is the full schedule for Monday’s games, a link to the official MLB playoff brackets and a preview of Monday’s must-watch matchup.

Matchups	Series	Time (ET)	TV	Predicted Winner
Washington at San Francisco	SFG, 2-0	5:07 p.m.	MLB Network	Nationals
LA Dodgers at St. Louis	Tied, 1-1	9:07 p.m.	Fox Sports 1	Dodgers

*Updated bracket for both division series at MLB.com.

Monday’s Must-Watch Matchup: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Monday is the worst day of the week for many who are returning to work, but the 2014 MLB postseason will alleviate some of the pressure, and the matchups on the schedule should ease the pain.

The best game of the day, though, is the battle between the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis Cardinals. With an intriguing starting pitching matchup between Hyun-Jin Ryu and John Lackey and two offensive units with explosive power facing off, baseball fans will be treated to a true on-field war.

With the series tied 1-1, each team will be fighting hard to take the advantage in the series.

For Los Angeles, the team will be leaning on Ryu to keep the game close. The South Korean starter hasn’t pitched since Sept. 12 while recovering from shoulder irritation, but the team has shown patience not rushing him back and showed faith allowing him to start the third game of the series.

When asked about the shoulder injury, Ryu spoke to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times via a translator regarding his recovery and expectations for Monday:

"

I tried to make sure I didn't do too much or too little. I feel very confident right now. My arm feels really good. My shoulder feels really strong. And I have a pretty good feeling I'll be able to put in a good game tomorrow.

I'm thinking that there's very little, almost 0%, chance that the injury is going to come back tomorrow. I threw a few bullpen sessions and I went 100%. I felt great in all those sessions. I don't foresee why I would feel anything tomorrow.

"

Even if Ryu isn’t at his best, the Dodgers' offensive unit is as deep as any in the league. With a roster that includes legitimate stars like Adrian Gonzalez, Matt Kemp, Hanley Ramirez, Yasiel Puig, Carl Crawford and more, Los Angeles will be unstoppable if the team finds a rhythm Monday against Lackey.

The official Twitter account of the Cardinals shared Lackey’s thoughts on his start:

Lackey better be confident in his ability while facing one of the toughest batting orders in the postseason this year. Since being traded from Boston to St. Louis earlier this season, Lackey has adapted to his new team and has found his comfort level.

While Lackey will have the backing of a top-tier power hitter like Matt Holliday, the Cardinals have done a great job building a team full of reliable athletes. While Jhonny Peralta, Matt Carpenter and Matt Adams are not well-known stars, they can score runs when it matters most and will help put the team in the best position to win.

After watching St. Louis win Game 1 10-9 and Los Angeles steal the 3-2 victory in Game 2, it’s finally time for one of the teams to prove itself superior. With the pitching matchup a push between Ryu and Lackey, the Dodgers should be favored due to their high-powered offense.

If Los Angeles’ top hitters come through, St. Louis will find itself on the losing end Monday.

Predicted Final Score: Los Angeles 8, St. Louis 5

*Stats via MLB.com.