MLB

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.

The two lovable losers of baseball will face off with a chance to go to the World Series as the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs battle in the National League Championship Series.

While both teams entered the year with promising young talent, few actually believed either would reach this stage so soon. But they both kept winning in the regular season and reached the playoffs, where they pulled off impressive upsets in the division series.

The Major League Baseball offseason can be as dramatic as the postseason—at least in most years, though this October is shaping up to be one of the best in recent memory—providing thrills and heartache for fans and teams in their quests to build championship rosters.

The National League Championship Series (NLCS) field is officially set, as the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets both came away victorious in their respective division series.

The Cubs bested the rival St. Louis Cardinals in four games in what was the first postseason meeting between those two teams.

This is the first time the Cubs have made the playoffs since 2008 and the first time they have advanced to the NLCS since 2003. They will now be looking for their first NL pennant since 1945.

Fact: The New York Mets have advanced to their first National League Championship Series since 2006.

Bleacher Report will be bringing sports fans the most interesting and engaging Cold Hard Fact of the day, presented by Coors Light.

Source: ESPN Stats & Info

On the heels of a career season that could land him the National League Cy Young Award, Los Angeles Dodgers ace Zack Greinke has a decision to make regarding free agency.  

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Just like that, we're down to four. 

Both the American League Championship Series and National League Championship Series will begin this weekend, as the Toronto Blue Jays, Kansas City Royals, Chicago Cubs and New York Mets will vie for the right to appear in the World Series. Over the next few slides, we'll identify 10 X-factors that will determine which teams face off in the Fall Classic.

What is an X-factor? There's really no clear-cut answer to that. 

With a sighing exhale of relief, the Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals have survived.

Both teams’ American League Division Series were pushed to fifth and deciding games. At times in each series, the Blue Jays and Royals both looked left for dead before their incredible resurrections shoved them into this American League Championship Series, ripe with the league’s two best regular-season records.

Somebody different will win the World Series this year.

Sick of the San Francisco Giants hoisting MLB's trophy every even year? Tired of the St. Louis Cardinals filling all the gaps in between? Longing for the day where the Evil Empire gets conquered while the other budding, big-market villains in Boston also step aside? Good news: Both the American League and National League Championship Series present fresh faces far removed from their last victory parade. 

Two long-suffering franchises enjoying a period of strong talent and good fortune will meet in the 2015 American League Championship Series, making this best-of-four series a particularly exciting, acutely anticipated matchup.