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In a rematch of the dramatic World Series from only a couple of seasons ago, the Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals face off in what is sure to be a terrific matchup.

In the first game of the series on Friday night, the Rangers came out on top thanks to a go-ahead single in the ninth by Nelson Cruz. Saturday’s contest has the potential to be equally as thrilling.

The young stud Shelby Miller will take the mound for the Redbirds. He will be going up against Martin Perez of Texas, who struggled in his lone start this year.

The Cardinals (47-27) have the best record in baseball thus far and will look to continue their dominance at the top of the NL Central. The Rangers (42-32) are only a game back in the AL West, and they will try to narrow the gap.

The stars will be out tonight at Busch Stadium, so tune in to Fox at 7:15 EDT for an interleague battle.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

As we approach the MLB All-Star break in July, there seems to be a handful of new faces that will appear in this year’s All-Star Game. Young players from around the league are beginning to take over MLB as this generation’s new set of stars.

In the 2013 MLB All-Star Game, there will be three standout performances from players likely making their All-Star debuts.

Chris Davis

Chris Davis has been a superstar for the Baltimore Orioles so far this season. He is batting .338, good for second in the American League. His 21 homers lead the AL and his 56 runs batted in are second best.

Davis currently leads the AL All-Star voting for first basemen (as of June 8). He should be the starter in the All-Star Game and should be able to dominate with his bat like he has all season long. His power will help make the AL lineup very dangerous this year.

Paul Goldschmidt

For the Diamondbacks this season, no one has played as well as Paul Goldschmidt. Goldschmidt is hitting .313 with 15 long balls. He leads the National League with 59 RBI and is also in the top five for home runs and slugging percentage.

Goldschmidt is currently second in NL All-Star Voting for first basemen (as of June 9), only behind Joey Votto. He may not get to start, but he will most likely make an appearance in the All-Star Game. Expect big things from Goldschmidt and his sweet swing as the NL will try to win its fourth straight All-Star Game.

Matt Harvey

All-Star voting does not apply to pitchers. It is the manager’s choice to select the pitchers and to name the starter. Bruce Bochy, the manager of the Giants and the NL All-Stars this year, should take a good look at Mets pitcher Matt Harvey.

Harvey is 5-1 with a 2.01 ERA. He is second in the NL with 102 strikeouts and third in ERA. Harvey has been the ace in the Mets rotation this year, and some would argue he deserves to start the All-Star Game for the NL this season.

Harvey has been consistent all season and his stats will lead you to believe that he can also thrive as the NL starter. Even if he doesn’t get the start, he will still take the mound in the All-Star Game and should continue to impress baseball fans with his strong arm and great pitches.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The past few seasons, the Houston Astros have been the laughing stock of Major League Baseball, but that may not last for long. Things are looking up in Houston, as the Astros continue to grow and learn in their rebuilding process.

Players like Jose Altuve and Jason Castro are beginning to show glimpses of their tremendous potential. New ownership and management are in place to get this organization on the right track.

The farm system for the Astros is on the rise, as more and more talented prospects join the organization via trades and draft picks.

Expectations for the Astros this year were very low, which gives this team the opportunity to improve in a comfortable, positive environment without any pressure or distractions.

Here are the 10 biggest reasons to be optimistic about this young team’s future.

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