On Deck: ALCS, Games 1-2

On Deck will be here all season to provide you with everything you need to know (and a few things you don't) about every playoff series during the 2015 season. 

The Teams: The Royals and Blue Jays jockeyed for position as the top team in the AL down the stretch, and after a Toronto fade job, the Royals nabbed homefield throughout the playoffs.

Past 2015 Meetings: The Blue Jays went 4-3 against Kansas City in the regular season as the teams had a couple of dust-ups on the way, including one in which Kansas City pitcher Edinson Volquez referred to MVP candidate Josh Donaldson as a "baby."

Pitching Matchups: Friday — Marco Estrada (13-8, 3.13 ERA) vs. Edinson Volquez (13-9, 3.55); Saturday — David Price (9-1, 2.30) vs. Yordano Ventura (13-8, 4.08)

What's Hot: Chris Colabello started four of the five ALDS games at first base and was the team's hottest hitter in that series, batting .375 with two doubles, a homer and two RBIs. DH Edwin Encarnacion hit .333 in the five games while also drawing five walks and hitting a game-tying homer in Game 5. Kevin Pillar hit .333 with four RBIs but did his greatest damage in center field by gobbling up everything hit in his general direction. Closer Roberto Osuna, 20, pitched 5 2/3 innings in the ALDS and struck out six without allowing a hit or a walk.

Ben Zobrist went 6-for-18 over his five games in the ALDS, while Alcides Escobar, Salvador Perez and Alex Rios all hit .286 in the series. Rios had the dagger RBI double in Game 5 of the ALDS against Houston. Newly appointed closer Wade Davis has two saves in the playoffs and has allowed just one hit in four innings of work.

What's Not: David Price's postseason struggles have continued in his new digs. In a start and a relief appearance against Texas, he posted a 7.20 ERA over 10 innings of work while allowing two homers. Troy Tulowitzki had just two hits over the five games (.095 batting average) but one of those was a three-run homer in a pivotal Game 3 win to help keep the Blue Jays alive after falling down 0-2 to the Rangers.

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In two ALDS starts, Yordano Ventura combined for just seven innings of work and allowed six runs on eight hits. Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer, two big postseason heroes from the 2014 Royals' run, are both hitting under .200 during this postseason.

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