Kuzul

One thing we’ve learned throughout these 2015 MLB playoffs—and in virtually any postseason—is that the unlikely is bound to happen. The 2015 World Series promises to be no different.

Back on Opening Day, few could have predicted the Kansas City Royals doubling down on their American League pennant and breaking into the World Series for the second straight year. The same could be said of the New York Mets, who were on the upward trajectory but hardly championship contenders entering the season.

Simply picking these two to battle for the Commissioner’s Trophy at the beginning of the year would have been a bold prediction. So, let’s make some more bold predictions for what may unfold over the coming days.

Bold Predictions

Jacob deGrom Will Struggle Early

Simply put, Jacob deGrom hasn’t looked like a pitcher who’s in his first postseason so far in October. In fact, he’s pitched his way past some of the most seasoned arms in baseball, as his rotation has risen above the likes of Jon Lester and Clayton Kershaw in the opening two rounds.

He’s doing things that we’ve rarely seen in the postseason, as ESPN Stats & Info observed:

But keeping it going into the biggest series of them all is not just difficult, it’s nearly impossible. Plus, a closer look into his recent outings suggests he’s perhaps not as dominant as seen by the naked eye.

The 27-year-old has picked up three wins in three starts, but there’s reason to believe he may be struggling with his command and fatigue, as ESPN.com’s Adam Rubin reported:

Although deGrom is 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA in the postseason, he had to labor through his past two outings. His pitch counts quickly rose and he had erratic fastball command. Collins believes deGrom may be suffering from fatigue and could use extra time between starts, even if it is only one additional day beyond Game 1.

What’s more, his three playoff wins have come against lineups that were struggling mightily to get the ball in play. The same can’t be suggested of the Kansas City Royals, who are masters at getting ahead in the pitch count and making the opposing arms work tirelessly to get outs.

Matt Harvey gets the start in Game 1, which means come Wednesday’s Game 2, it will have been well over a week since deGrom has stepped on the mound. Getting out of your rotation can be tough for top-end pitchers, and deGrom will find that out early on as he loses his first World Series decision.

Daniel Murphy Won’t Homer in Games 1 and 2

I know, I know. Crazy, right?

This is easily the boldest prediction of them all, simply based on what the once-under-the-radar utility man has done throughout this October. His six straight postseason games with a home run broke a major league record, which is pretty astounding considering his career up to this point.

CBS Sports quipped that he hasn’t homered in several days, only because the Mets haven’t been playing:

Murphy is hitting the ball as well as anyone ever has in the postseason, knocking in easy singles when the long ball isn’t there and carrying the Mets offense. Don’t think the Royals aren’t keying in on that, and will be prepared to do everything they can to keep Murphy from getting pitches to hit.

It honestly wouldn’t be surprising to see Kansas City intentionally walk Murphy every time it gets the chance, and that will leave him with many less opportunities to go yard in Kauffman Stadium.

An Elite Closer Will Blow a Save

Many of the best relievers and closers of all time have pitched in the World Series, but it’s hard to go back in history and find two in the same championship series that are dealing like this.

Jeurys Familia has been virtually unhittable for the Mets, but Wade Davis has been just as dominant on the mound late in games for the Royals. Neither pitcher has given up much of anything to opposing lineups in this postseason, as Phil Rogers of MLB.com noted:

Both have shown the ability to rise to the occasion in pressure moments throughout this postseason, and Davis showed the same this time last year. But all good things must come to an end, and this is one of them.

There aren’t any stats that suggest either pitcher is due for a blown save—they’ve both been that fantastic. But with stout starting pitching on both sides, we’re bound to be in for a number of tight contests down the stretch.

All it will take is conceding one run to blow a save for either of these closers, and I’m betting on that to happen.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

With the way this postseason unfolded, you almost knew a long-suffering organization would end up on top at the culmination of the 2015 World Series.

That’s guaranteed to be the case over the next several days, no matter who comes out on top between the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals. A club that hasn’t hoisted the Commissioner’s Trophy in 29 years (New York) or 30 years (Kansas City) will do just that in early November to cap off a magical playoff run.

If that doesn’t get your heart pounding for the World Series, I don’t know what will. Take a look below for more information.

2015 World Series Schedule

World Series Preview

The Mets and the Chicago Cubs were both expected to make strides in the National League this season, but seeing them play for a spot in the World Series had even the most optimistic fans of both franchises pinching themselves.

But as it turned out, the NLCS wasn’t even competitive. While the Cubs struggled to find their footing, New York strolled its way through the Windy City, sweeping a four-game series with a more than three-run average margin of victory.

It’s no secret that the Mets’ standout pitching has led the way to the club’s first World Series appearance since 2000, when they came up short against the Yankees in the Subway Series. Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey and Noah Syndergaard have been dealing fire throughout the playoffs, and Stephen Matz joins them in the World Series rotation, per the Mets:

New York will start out on the mound in Game 1 with Matt Harvey, who has won both of his starts so far in the postseason. Having not pitched since a 7.2-inning performance on October 17, he’ll be fresh and ready to go.

While the pitching has been there all season for the Mets, they’re getting incredible production from bats that had been inconsistent throughout the season. It’s mainly attributed to a balanced lineup, but the sudden outburst of Daniel Murphy has put them over the top.

Take a look at how well Murphy is raking against outside pitches, as he’s in the midst of a six-game postseason streak with home runs that broke an MLB record, per Mark Simon of ESPN:

Of course, the Royals aren’t to be outdone by the Mets’ suddenly reliable bats. Kansas City is in the middle of a scoring explosion as well, putting up 38 runs in its six-game series win over Toronto in the ALCS.

A scary Mets rotation might strike fear in Kansas City fans, but they should rest easy after seeing what the Royals were able to do to Blue Jays ace David Price in Game 6 despite a great performance from him, per Lee Judge of the Kansas City Star:

The Royals were not going to wait around; they’d go after the first good pitch they saw. The Royals wanted to get Price early in the count, before he got to those two-strike chase pitches.

They didn’t exactly kill him with that strategy — Price only gave up five hits total — but as far as the Royals were concerned, the strategy worked. Price was under 90 pitches after six innings, but gave up three earned runs in six and two-thirds and that was enough to put Kansas City in a position to win the game.

Doing that against a pitcher who is 0-7 all time in the postseason is one thing, but getting it done against a trio of red-hot pitchers who don’t seem at all fazed by the playoff spotlight will be another story entirely.

Simply put, the Royals have been getting it done, even when they face the other team’s top pitcher. But what will happen when the other team has three top pitchers?

Well, we should find out soon enough.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

It’s been a long time coming for the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals, but one of the two will end a treacherous title drought in the 2015 World Series.

The Royals came suffocatingly close to doing just that this time last year, when they took the San Francisco Giants the distance in a seven-game championship series. While they haven’t won the title since 1985, the Mets won it in 1986 and haven’t been back to the promised land since.

No matter how this one shakes out, a long time of suffering will end for a rabid fanbase. Let’s take a look into everything for the 2015 World Series.

2015 World Series Dates and TV Info

World Series Preview

They came so close in 2000 during the Subway Series and have flirted with contention once or twice since then, but the New York Mets finally appear to have found that championship gear.

It all begins on the back of some stellar pitching. While the rest of baseball tries to throw $30-million-a-year contracts at the biggest arms in the game, the Mets have proven you can grow a top-caliber rotation on your own.

Per Spotrac, the rotation of Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Matt Harvey is costing the Mets no more than $614,125 per player. Not only is the trio proving the best value in sports, but they’re also looking like one of the best rotations ever assembled, per J.J. Cooper of Baseball America:

New York needed every bit of that standout pitching throughout part of the season when the bats simply weren’t coming together, and that’s put the Mets alone in history, as John Buccigross of ESPN reported:

Of course, now things are coming together quite well in the Mets lineup. Trade-deadline acquisition Yoenis Cespedes is knocking the cover off the ball, while Daniel Murphy is in the midst of an all-time record six straight postseason games with a home run.

Tasked with slowing down that lineup—and finding a way to get past that scary pitching—are the Kansas City Royals.

As much as Kansas City struggled with Houston’s Dallas Keuchel in the American League Division Series, the Royals showed a daunting lineup isn’t to worry about. Against by far the most prolific offense in baseball in the American League Championship Series, Kansas City took down the Toronto Blue Jays by scoring in bunches.

It marked the Royals’ second straight AL pennant, as MLB Network showed:

Both clubs have shown throughout this exciting postseason that they can rise up above stiff challenges and also soundly beat clubs that have it going. It should make for a star-studded clash come Game 1 in Kansas City, when the Royals will begin their two-game homestand before turning to the Big Apple for three more.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Either way, a long championship drought is going to end in the 2015 World Series with the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals both looking to break through as the top club in baseball.

The Royals came drastically close to doing so this time last year, when the San Francisco Giants edged them in a seven-game championship series. They navigated through the treacherous American League for the second straight year and will enjoy the home-stadium advantage after the AL took the All-Star Game during the summer.

As for New York, it has ridden unhittable pitching and timely bats to its first World Series appearance since 2000—when the Mets faced the New York Yankees in the Subway Series. They’re looking for just their third world title ever and the first since 1986.

Here’s a look into everything you need to know for the World Series.

2015 World Series Schedule

Odds to Win World Series

Preview

Rewind back to Game 4 of the American League Divisional Series, and even the most optimistic Royals fans would have to be somewhat surprised at where things stand entering the World Series.

Kansas City was on the ropes, a mere nine outs away from elimination, as the Royals trailed the series 2-1 to the Houston Astros and were down 6-2 entering the seventh inning. A four-run deficit matched the largest the club had overcome throughout the entire season, and that only happened once.

Elimination seemed so inevitable that national media had already counted them out, including Michael Lee of Yahoo Sports, who crafted a tweet he likely regrets now:

One blistering comeback later, followed by a dominant Game 5 and a gut-check six-game victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALCS, and the Royals are sitting just four wins shy of their first world championship in 30 years. 

Against the boisterous Blue Jays offense, the small-ball Royals proved they can put up runs at a high rate to more than match baseball’s most dangerous bats. Kansas City scored a total of 38 runs in its six ALCS games, including a 14-2 win in Toronto in Game 4.

But it took clutch play to dispose of the Blue Jays, which Eric Hosmer provided by knocking in the series-winning RBI to bring home Lorenzo Cain in the eighth inning of Game 6, as the Royals’ Twitter noted:

After reasons for concern throughout the ALDS, the Royals’ magic has returned. But they aren’t the only ones entering the World Series feeling like fate is on their side.

The Mets also feel that sensation, after handling the Chicago Cubs in a four-game NLCS sweep that hardly even looked competitive. With two clubs facing off that are a few years ahead of schedule and aiming to end a long stretch of disappointment, New York looked more than ready for the moment.

Even though all of their standout pitchers in the rotation are in the midst of their first postseason experience, it’s not showing. As noted by Fox Sports Live, they look like veterans:

Thanks to their quick sweep of Chicago, the Mets got a few extra days to rest while the Royals battled it out through Thursday night’s Game 6 clincher. That gives their valuable arms the opportunity to come in fresh, which will have Matt Harvey step onto the mound first, as Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported:

The Mets obviously have the pitching edge on paper, but the Royals should be able to match it at times with their own reliable arms. Johnny Cueto is finally proving his worth after a midseason trade, while Wade Davis is perhaps the only closer who can stand toe-to-toe with the Mets’ Jeurys Familia.

Another Royals starter, Yordano Ventura, won’t appear right away after pitching in Game 6 of the ALCS. But his ability to get ahead in the strike count and make batters bite on that daunting breaking ball could be a game-changer.

There’s no telling how things will go in this World Series between two clubs that few could have expected to be the last two standing for the title. But with what each roster brings to the table, it’s safe to say baseball faithful will be graced with an exciting conclusion to the season.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Toronto Blue Jays are trying their best to snatch the momentum back from the Kansas City Royals in the American League Championship Series’ critical Game 4 in Toronto on Tuesday afternoon.

The Royals took a stranglehold of the series by taking care of business at home but allowed the Blue Jays to get back in it in Game 3. Toronto’s bats exploded in their return home after cooling off in Kansas City, knocking home 11 runs to cut the series deficit to 2-1.

If the Blue Jays want to leave their final homestand of the series all tied up, taking care of business in Tuesday’s Game 4 will be a must. Let’s take a look at what to know for the game, as well as a prediction.

Game 4: Royals at Blue Jays

Date/Time (ET): Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 4 p.m. ET

TV: Fox Sports 1

Live Stream: Fox Sports Go

Game 4 Preview and Prediction

Maybe a return home was just what the Blue Jays needed.

The offense went cold in Kansas City to start the ALCS, and to the Royals’ credit, much of that had to do with their shutdown pitching, which paved the way to wins in Games 1 and 2. But Monday night’s Game 3 painted a different picture, thanks to the dependable Toronto bats.

Troy Tulowitzki, Josh Donaldson and Ryan Goins each jacked a home run Monday to put the Royals away in a high-scoring 11-8 affair that saw both lineups catch fire. But in the end, Toronto simply put up too much to match.

“We desperately needed that breakout,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons told Gregor Chisholm and Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com. “You look at how the game finished up, those runs really came in handy. It wasn’t an easy game, even though we had a big lead.”

While the Blue Jays overcame an 0-2 series deficit in the last round against the Texas Rangers, the Royals give Toronto extra reason for concern. However, Toronto is beginning to find its stride in the middle of the series once again.

Fox Sports Live showed the contrast between Games 1 and 2 compared to the rest of the postseason:

If the Royals are going to stymie the suddenly hot Blue Jays bats, their pitching will have to come from someone making his postseason debut—at least in a starting role. Chris Young gets the ball for Game 4 on the heels of some great late-season starts.

Toronto will have to slow down the Kansas City bats that put up eight runs of their own in Game 3. R.A. Dickey gets that responsibility. His knuckleball style and off-speed stuff should be able to fluster Kansas City’s opportunistic small-ball mentality.

Meanwhile, Young will have his hands full slowing the Blue Jays in the same fashion. He’ll get jumped on early, and Kansas City will be left picking up the pieces as Toronto evens in the series.

Prediction: Blue Jays 6, Royals 3

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Kansas City Royals are at it again.

Looking intent on winning the American League for the second straight year, the Royals have taken both Games 1 and 2 of the ALCS against the Toronto Blue Jays. The October magic they mustered up a year ago is making a return and could propel them to another World Series appearance.

As the best-of-seven series shifts north of the border for three games, however, anything can happen with the series still relatively young and a supremely talented Blue Jays squad on the ropes. Here’s a look at everything to know for Game 3 and beyond.

ALCS Schedule (Royals Lead 2-0)

World Series Odds

Odds courtesy of Odds Shark.

Perhaps David Price has earned some of his subpar reputation when it comes to playoff struggles. But it’s hard to come away from Game 2 and think he’s the Blue Jays’ problem in this series.

Yes, Price eventually got burned in a five-run seventh inning that allowed the Royals to take a stranglehold over the ALCS. Yes, his postseason career record slipped even further. But without an outfield error that started that seventh-inning run, Price may have pitched a complete-game shutout.

Price was about to retire his 19th straight batter before that error, but instead his outing will be remembered like this, as ESPN Stats & Info noted:

While losing in the playoffs is nothing new for Price, it’s also not new for these Royals to turn it on when the odds are against them.

They did it twice in the ALDS, battling back from multiple-run deficits to win games. One of them came in Game 4 at Houston, trailing by four runs only to win and extend the series—eventually taking Game 5 and advancing.

They were in a similar hole Saturday, yet they didn’t blink and came through again, as MLB noted:

Behind the heady offensive play of Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer and more, the Royals have found their small-ball formula for success, just like they did in last year’s postseason. Add onto that an 11-game hitting streak from Lorenzo Cain and pitching that hasn’t lost a beat, and you have yourself a team proving it can run the table.

Kansas City may not have the firepower offensively that Toronto can boast, and we don’t know how that will translate when the series shifts to the Blue Jays’ ballpark. But it looks increasingly likely that the Royals will be able to execute on what they’re trying to do, and if that’s the case, the World Series has their name on it. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Only two days into the championship series round, a couple of clubs have already made convincing statements as the 2015 MLB postseason carries forward into a new week.

So far, the biggest story revolves around the Kansas City Royals and their impressive start in the ALCS against Toronto. They’ve jumped out to a 2-0 series lead after taking care of business at home, while the New York Mets did the same out in the NL in Game 1.

It’s been a fun start to the playoffs, but we’re just getting started, and many memorable moments are to come. So let’s take a look at what is coming up.

MLB Postseason Schedule

ALCS: Royals vs. Blue Jays

It’s not wise to count these Royals out, no matter the deficit. They just continue to show their resiliency in situations when it looks like they’re done for.

After making it out of the ALDS in that type of fashion, Kansas City continued its magic throughout the opening two games of this star-studded ALCS series. They were unable to solve David Price on the mound in Game 2—until rattling off a five-run seventh inning that pushed the Royals in front for good.

The Royals showed it once again—you can’t mess up against them, as Don Van Natta Jr. of ESPN noted:

Kansas City just keeps coming up big in the clutch. In a span that includes being six outs away from elimination in the ALDS against Houston, the Royals have turned into comeback kids with their ability to battle back from multi-run deficits, per MLB:

During a stretch of their series with the Astros, it looked like the Royals’ magic from 2014 had run out. But just when it seems wise to count them out, they battle back in resilient fashion and find a way to generate the runs needed.

The Blue Jays had the big bats coming into this series, but Kansas City’s pitching has stymied them—three runs allowed over 18 innings—and given their offense just enough room to make things happen. Conditions will be very different in Toronto for Games 3 and 4, but it’s hard to say the Royals aren’t ready for the challenge.

NLCS: Mets vs. Cubs

Raise your hand if you had Daniel Murphy emerging as the biggest impact player of this postseason. 

Nobody? That’s what I thought.

The Mets’ 30-year-old infielder is coming off making a bevy of huge plays in the NLDS, and he chose to keep it rolling to start the NLCS by jacking a first-inning home run to set the tone. Curtis Granderson followed it up with a two-RBI performance, giving New York enough firepower to take an early series lead over Chicago.

But while the bats helped, Matt Harvey’s gem on the mound helped to seal the deal, as Baseball Tonight showed:

With top aces Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard unavailable due to their pitching in Game 5 of the ALDS, Harvey had the responsibility of slowing the Cubs’ red-hot bats, and he succeeded. 

As Cut4 showed, he even got in on the defense:

While there’s a lot of baseball left to play, the Mets have to be elated with the start they have gotten in this NLCS. An early win against the Dodgers last round propelled them to a tight series victory, but this time they’re hoping to make it a bit less nail-biting.

That will be easier said than done against a Cubs team that faced a similar deficit in the NLDS, only to rattle off the next three and advance as David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune noted:

The Cubs’ bats got hot eventually against St. Louis last round, but the Cardinals don’t boast the same type of shutdown pitching that the Mets have in their rotation. With Harvey setting the tone the way he did, the onus will now be on Chicago to change things up and get going offensively.

If they don’t, this could quickly turn into a fast series.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

On the heels of an entertaining debut to the American League Championship Series, the Kansas City Royals and Toronto Blue Jays will get right back to it with another showdown at Kauffman Stadium for Game 2.

The Royals took a stranglehold of the series after Friday night’s 5-0 win, but things could just as easily shift in Toronto’s favor after Game 2. It all comes down to the second game, which will decide whether the Blue Jays return home with the momentum or if Kansas City will be up 2-0.

Let’s take a look at everything you need to know entering Game 2 before widening our scope with some World Series predictions.

ALCS Game 2: Blue Jays at Royals

Date/Time (ET): Saturday, Oct. 17, at 4:07 p.m.

TV: Fox Sports 1

Live Stream: Fox Sports Go

Odds

Predictions

No matter how you shake it, a franchise that has been waiting a long time for a World Series title is going to end the drought and stand atop baseball this year.

Everybody knows about the Chicago Cubs’ curse that stretches back to 1908, but that’s only the beginning of the suffering for the last four clubs standing. The Mets haven’t won since 1986, the Blue Jays have been waiting since 1992 and the Royals haven’t claimed a World Series title since 1985.

It’s a nice change of pace from the usual names that dominate October, as author Joe Posnanski quipped:

While it’s been a long time coming for all four teams, that’s not to say any of them are flukes or failed to earn their way here. In fact, all four are equipped to run the table.

But only one can do that, and only two can emerge from their respective leagues in order to get a shot. In the AL, the Blue Jays appear to be that team.

Toronto started slow in the postseason but rattled off three straight victories over the Texas Rangers in must-win fashion. The team’s bats came alive at the perfect time, scoring 19 runs in those final three games.

Kansas City’s number was nearly up against the Houston Astros before an unlikely comeback, and the Royals don’t have the pitching across the board to slow down the Blue Jays. Led by Jose Bautista and Josh Donaldson, the Toronto bats will rake their way into the World Series.

On the National League side, it won’t be the hotter offense but rather the steady arms that lead the way as the Mets emerge victorious over a Cubs team that has seemed to have destiny on its side.

New York may start slow, with Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard both having pitched Thursday in Game 5 of the NL Division Series, but the Mets feel confident with Matt Harvey on the mound for Game 1 of the NLCS, as the team’s Twitter account noted:

Having deGrom and Syndergaard ready for the middle part of the series will end up boding well for the Mets, and those aces will play a part in stymieing the Cubs attack.

Doing so against the Blue Jays with the world championship on the line, however, won’t be as easy.

Not only did Toronto lead baseball in scoring, but it also did so by an incredible margin. The Blue Jays’ 891 runs were nearly 130 more than any other team scored—and over 200 more than the Mets’ tally of 683.

The Blue Jays will have a stud on the mound in David Price, and the lineup is capable of giving their pitching enough room to feel comfortable throughout the postseason. It’s hard to go back on my Blue Jays-over-Mets prediction from the beginning of October, with neither team showing much reason to choose differently.

Prediction: Blue Jays defeat Mets in six games.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The dramatics brought by the opening rounds of Major League Baseball’s postseason are a necessary appetizer, but nothing compares to the League Championship Series round.

Four teams remain, and each of them has the opportunity to punch its ticket to the World Series by stringing together four wins. Considering the long-suffering clubs still left standing at this point in October, we’re guaranteed to have a special conclusion.

Before thoughts of the World Series can even begin to pop up, though, two magnificent series in the ALCS and NLCS await that will truly tell how this postseason will be remembered. But there’s no need to wait, so let’s jump right into predictions after we glance at the relevant odds. 

2015 MLB Playoff Bracket and Odds

Full postseason schedule available at MLB.com.

Odds courtesy of Odds Shark.

World Series Predictions

When looking into the ALCS picture, it’s almost difficult to figure out how these two teams ended up eight wins away from a world title.

While nobody would have been surprised two weeks ago to hear the Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals would be squaring off, the same couldn’t be said about five days ago. Instead, it seemed like we’d have an all-Texas showdown between the Rangers and Houston Astros.

Alas, the Rangers blew a 2-0 series lead and allowed the Blue Jays to find their mojo late in the series. And Houston folded its series with Kansas City away with a four-run lead late in Game 4, going on to drop the decider. 

So, which AL squad has the edge in a still-young series? Considering the ALDS, there’s no question it’s the Blue Jays.

Toronto’s offense, which ranked as the best in baseball by a wide margin during the regular season (891 runs), truly got going late in the divisional round after starting out slow. The Jays amassed 19 runs in a three-game span to clinch the series.

Even if it comes down to pitching, Toronto has the edge with David Price and Marco Estrada. Price is getting the ball next, as MLB noted:

With Price getting his outing out of the way Saturday, he’ll be well in line to turn around and be fresh to pitch in a potential Game 5 or 6. It’s just hard to see the Royals offense generating enough to outscore Toronto in those situations, leading to a Blue Jays series win in six.

Out in the NL, a long-awaited title run is coming for a rabid fanbase. But unfortunately for the folks in the Windy City, it’s not the one that’s lasted over 100 years.

The Chicago Cubs’ bats are on fire coming out of their series win over the St. Louis Cardinals, the only divisional series that didn’t go the full five games. Even more impressive is that it was against the best team in baseball.

But they face a New York Mets squad that will be able to answer the Cubs’ X-factor of pitching. Even with Jacob deGrom not immediately available after a Thursday start, the Mets will have the advantage on the mound.

Jake Arrieta is good for a win, as is perhaps Jon Lester, but the Cubs bats won’t be able to carry them against hot pitching like they did last round.

That brings us to the World Series that so few could have predicted before the season—Mets and Blue Jays.

In a battle of incredible aces versus an unstoppable offense, who wins? Conventional wisdom would suggest the pitching, but not with these Blue Jays raking at a historic rate. According to ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark, Toronto is in great company with its 2015 numbers:

The Blue Jays finished with an astounding plus-221 run differential. No one else in the AL was within 110 of them. According to Elias, they’re the fifth team in the division-play era with that large a gap over the next-closest team in their league. The other four all reached the World Series. Just the 1995 Indians failed to win it.

With power at multiple levels of their lineup and consistency across the board, there’s no reason to believe the Blue Jays can’t join that list and keep the offense rolling. I went with the Blue Jays over the Mets at the beginning of October, and neither has shown anything to make me waver from that.

Prediction: Blue Jays over Mets in six games.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The top two clubs in the American League showcased their resiliency in a pair of five-game division series thrillers, and now the Kansas City Royals and Toronto Blue Jays will clash in the ALCS for a spot in the 2015 World Series.

It’s safe to say that both squads had some moments of doubt as to whether they would even get this far. The Blue Jays faced an 0-2 deficit and had to rattle off three straight wins over the Texas Rangers to keep their season alive, while the Royals battled back from a four-run deficit in a must-win Game 4.

With last season’s Cinderella in Kansas City going against a Toronto club that is aiming to make a similar ascent to the top for the first time in decades, a memorable series should be on the cards.

Let’s take a look at everything to know for a Royals-Blue Jays ALCS.

2015 ALCS Coverage Guide

Matchup: Kansas City Royals vs. Toronto Blue Jays

Odds (via OddsChecker): Blue Jays 4-5, Royals 21-20

TV Coverage: Fox/Fox Sports 1

Live Streaming: Fox Sports Go

ALCS Schedule

Preview

As the only two AL squads to reach the 90-win plateau in 2015, the Royals and Blue Jays were the obvious favorites to get to this point. But that’s not to say that either team got here by strolling through the park.

In fact, it couldn’t have been any tougher for these teams to advance and move four wins away from the World Series. 

It looked as though fate was constantly working against the Royals throughout their ALDS series with the Houston Astros, and it seemed that the magical World Series run of a year ago wouldn’t be making a repeat appearance. But just six outs away from elimination in Game 4, Kansas City quietly put together a five-run inning and returned home to clinch the series in Game 5.

Somehow, the Royals appear to be the most experienced squad left in these playoffs, as Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star quipped:

Not one to avoid dramatics in their own ALDS series, the Blue Jays had to fight back from an even tighter spot than the Royals. Toronto looked doomed from the very start, dropping both home games against Texas to begin the ALDS.

Of course, the rest is history. The Blue Jays rattled off 19 runs in the next three games (all must-wins), capped off by Jose Bautista’s go-ahead three-run jack in the seventh inning of Game 5 that all but sealed the series.

What was the MLB‘s best offense (by far) in the regular season is catching fire at the right time, and they have the aces on the mound to complement them. As Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com noted, the Blue Jays have their pitching rotation set:

The Royals obviously have prowess on the mound as well, but not to the same level. While two Blue Jays starters have an ERA below 3.00, no Royals starter is near that mark.

Sure, there have been flashes of brilliance from Johnny Cueto and Yordano Ventura in these playoffs. But it’s impossible to ignore the fact that the Astros’ bats raked eight home runs against the K.C. arms in just a five-game span.

With an advantage in both aspects of the game, the Blue Jays just have to keep it simple, as Toronto second baseman Munenori Kawasaki told Cut4:

They took some time to get their feet wet and get used to October baseball, but the Blue Jays are finally finding their gear. When the bats are on point, it takes near-perfect pitching to stymie them—and the Royals don’t have a Dallas Keuchel or a Jacob deGrom on their roster.

When it comes down to it, the Blue Jays’ bats have scored five or more runs in six of the seven games they’ve played against the Royals this season. If that continues, there’s no way the Royals offense will be able to keep up.

Prediction: Blue Jays win in six games

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com