A breakdown of the Blue Jays-Royals ALCS matchup:

ALCS Schedule

ROAD TO ALCS: The Blue Jays in beating the Rangers became the third team in MLB history to come back from a 0-2 deficit, losing the first two at home, joining the 2001 Yankees vs. the A’s and the 2012 Giants against the Reds. The Jays’ epic Game 5 ALDS victory keyed by a three-run seventh-inning homer by Jose Bautista has brought the team to the verge of “destiny” as they open on the road vs. a club against which there was already bad blood in the regular season. The Royals were down and almost out in Game 4 against the Astros, mounting a stunning comeback in the eighth inning to force a Game 5, with the much-maligned Johnny Cueto coming up big in the clincher. The Royals are in the second straight ALCS, while the Jays are back for the first time since 1993.

STARTERS: At the deadline, the Royals acquired Cueto, while the Jays picked up Price. The best arm of any of the starters in this series belongs to young RHP Yordano Ventura, but RHP Marco Estrada and RHP Marcus Stroman are both doing their best work right now. RHP R.A. Dickey gives the Jays a nice change of pace with the knuckleball, but will only start one game. The Jays are heavy on right-handed bats and now face a largely right-handed Royals rotation. EDGE: Jays.

BULLPEN: The Jays suffered a big blow losing LHP Brett Cecil, but two youngsters at the back end of the bullpen RHP Aaron Sanchez and RHP Roberto Osuna have held up well despite being into the seventh month of the season. The Royals bullpen lost some of the mystique of a year ago when Greg Holland was shut down for the year. But theyhave some impressive arms left over, led by RHP Kelvin Herrera and RHP Wade Davis. The series may come down to who has the more effective ’pen. EDGE: Royals

LINEUP: The Royals are led by MVP candidate and sparkplug CF Lorenzo Cain, backed by World Series veterans 1B Eric Hosmer, 3B Mike Moustakas, LF Alex Gordon and C Sal Perez, plus newcomer DH Kendrys Morales. The Jays scored 99 more runs than any team in baseball and have the sublime SS Troy Tulowitzki back in the lineup, even though he is not 100 per cent physically. There is no letup in the pressure as a pitcher navigates his way through 3B Josh Donaldson, C Russ Martin, RF Jose Bautista and DH Edwin Encarnacion, plus an underrated cast of table-setters EDGE: Jays

INTANGIBLES: Jays manager John Gibbons spent time as bench coach under Royals manager Ned Yost and neither man is given enough credit for where they have led their respective teams. The Jays atmosphere at home has gone from loud to off the charts. These teams do not like each other and there will be at least one bench-clearing incident. The Royals have the playoff experience. EDGE: Even

PICK TO WIN:Jays in six.

RECORD: 2-1 before Thursday’s night Dodgers-Mets game (picked L.A. in five)