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A month ago, it looked like the defending World Series champions, the Kansas City Royals, were nothing more than an afterthought in the playoff picture. As we prepare to head into the final month of baseball's regular season, though, the Royals sit in the thick of the AL playoff race.

But Kansas City isn't the only team making noise. Has an untimely injury knocked a contender out of the running? Does a slugger's desire to stay with his current team mean that he will?

We'll hit on all that and more in this week's edition of Fact or Fiction. 

The American League East doesn't get enough respect.

Stop yelling back at your computer (or phone or iPad) for a minute and work with me on this.

You've heard plenty this summer about the Chicago Cubs, much of it deserved. You've heard about the surprising Los Angeles Dodgers and the stumbling San Francisco Giants. You've heard about the Texas Rangers and the Washington Nationals.

The second half of the season has not been kind to the San Francisco Giants, to put it mildly.

Since the All-Star break, they've gone 11-25 with a minus-29 run differential and watched a 6.5-game lead over the archrival Los Angeles Dodgers evaporate into a three-game deficit. There are problems all over, from slumping hitters to bullpen blowups.

New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez has been a revelation. That statement is supported by a heap of numbers, but let's start with a single figure: two.

That's how many times Sanchez—a 23-year-old rookie with fewer than 100 big league plate appearances to his name—was intentionally walked Wednesday.

Boston Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi was removed from his team's game on Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays with a knee injury and had to be helped from the field. 

Fact: San Francisco Giants lefty Madison Bumgarner gave up five earned runs to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday, his highest total of the 2016 season.

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

Source: B/R Insights

There are roughly six weeks left in the 2016 MLB regular season, and while the playoff picture is taking shape, there is still a lot to be decided between now and October.

In the American League, there are 10 teams that can still be called legitimate contenders. The Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers have a strong hold on their respective division leads, but the AL East is a three-team race and the two wild-card spots are wide-open.

It feels like it was only a few weeks ago that we were talking about potential breakout stars for the 2016 MLB season. Turns out that was a few months ago—and with only one month of regular-season action left, we've got a pretty good idea as to who the season's surprise studs are.

Ah, the dog days of August. Woof…

1. Sweltering Days in the AL East

One last summer ice cream break, anyone, before the stretch run cranks up to an inferno? Look out, while Baltimore (4-6 in its last 10 games into Tuesday) apparently is tempted by the Blue Moon and Cherry Vanilla double-scoop cones, Boston is gearing up for last licks.

The Boston Red Sox need pitchers. On Tuesday, Clay Buchholz looked like a pitcher.

It doesn't erase a season that can only be classified as rough, but it surely put smiles on faces in Beantown.

Buchholz mostly baffled the Tampa Bay Rays, scattering five hits and allowing just one earned run over 6.1 innings while striking out nine in a 2-1 Red Sox win.