The MLB playoffs are finally here! Though there are still eight teams alive in the chase for the World Series, fall is clearly in the air. Here's how BetUS Sportsbook stacks up the squads in the Hunt for October...

1) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (97-65, +$2,176) It seems like an annual happening now, but the Halos are heading to the playoffs as the AL West champions. Once again, the team standing in their way of the ALCS is the Boston Red Sox though, and the Sox have had their number in years' past. The difference this time is that Anaheim has one of the best offenses in baseball, as it finished the regular season second in runs scored, first in batting average, third in OPS, and third in stolen bases.

2) Colorado Rockies (92-70, +$1,434) It's Rocktober once again! In spite of challenges from Atlanta, Florida, and San Francisco, the Rockies held on to the NL Wild Card and took the Dodgers to the wire for the NL West crown as well. Ever since they fired manager Clint Hurdle, they've been unstoppable, and now they'll get to take on the defending champs in their first step towards trying to get to the World Series for the second time in three years.

3) New York Yankees (103-59, +$1,390) The Yankees are clearly back, and anything less than a World Series crown would be a bitter disappointment. They get to face a Minnesota team that expended a ton of energy throughout the last month of the regular season just to get into the postseason in the first round. New York clearly has the best lineup in baseball and should easily advance, but if they overlook the Twins, the most expensive roster in baseball WILL be watching the ALCS from the comfy confines of their own living rooms.

4) Boston Red Sox (95-67, +$1,174) Earlier in the season, everyone complained about Boston's offense, especially the production of DH David Ortiz. Then the problem was the pitching staff. Well guess what? Big Papi hit 28 homers and drove in nearly 100 runs, and Josh Beckett and Jon Lester combined to go 32-14. The Sox are the Wild Card yet again, and they'll get a familiar foe in the first round of the playoffs in the Angels.

5) Los Angeles Dodgers (95-67, +$1,090) Shame on the Dodgers for nearly blowing a double digit-game lead in the NL West at the end of the season. Once upon a time, this looked like the best team in baseball, and even though they finished with the best record in the National League, there's a reason oddsmakers aren't banking on them advancing to the World Series.

6) Philadelphia Phillies (93-68, +$447) The defending champs haven't exactly looked stellar down the stretch either, but at least they'll get to open up their title defense at home. The Rockies are a dangerous foe though. There's still a big, big question mark about how the Phils are going to finish up games. Closers Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson have both been awful in the second half of the season.

7) Minnesota Twins (87-76, +$348) Give it up for the Twins, who never gave up on their hopes to make the playoffs. C Joe Mauer should ultimately win the MVP now that he

Won his second straight batting crown with a .365 average (highest ever by a catcher). The biggest question is whether this pitching staff can hold it together. Either way, this team looks a lot like the Colorado team that made it all the way to the World Series a couple years ago.

8) St. Louis Cardinals (91-71, +$240) St. Louis really slumped down the stretch of the regular season, and their punishment is that they have to go on the road to start their NLDS with the Dodgers. Still, in a short series, is there a better 1-2 punch in baseball than SPs Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter? With those two horses, the Cardinals should still be considered a huge threat to win the whole thing.

This information is provided in partnership with BetUs Sportsbook

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