Blue Jays AL East Magic Number Gets Boost After Blowing Out Reds

Toronto entered the day with a magic number of 22 to win the division. That’s a combination of Blue Jays wins and New York Yankees losses. So, going into the Yankees’ contest with the Houston Astros, Toronto had already trimmed the number to 21. The Yankees lost to the Astros, 8-7, which trimmed the number to 20. The Yankees and Boston Red Sox are now 3.5 games back of the Blue Jays. New York wraps up its series with Houston on Thursday.

The Blue Jays (81-59) and the Tigers (81-60) are tied for the most wins in the AL. Right now, Toronto has an edge with a higher win percentage. The top record in the league gets home-field advantage throughout the AL playoffs.

The Blue Jays are seeking to win their first division title since 2015, when they won 93 games and reached the American League Championship Series. Since that division title they've been to the postseason four other times, but always as a wild card team. The Blue Jays reached the ALCS again in 2016 but fell to Cleveland.

Toronto has a team good enough to duplicate what their 1992 and 1993 teams did, which was win the World Series. That 1993 season was the last time the Blue Jays played in the Fall Classic.

Toronto Blue Jays Magic Number Watch

Magic Number to Clinch Playoff Berth: 13

Magic Number to Clinch AL East: 20

Toronto Blue Jays Games Remaining: 22

Toronto Blue Jays Remaining Schedule: Sept. 5-7, at New York Yankees; Sept. 9-11, vs. Houston; Sept. 12-14, vs. Baltimore; Sept. 15-18, at Tampa Bay; Sept. 19-21, at Kansas City; Sept. 23-25 vs. Boston; Sept. 26-28, vs. Tampa Bay.

AL East Division Race (after Sept. 3)

Toronto Blue Jays: 81-59 (lead division)

New York Yankees: 77-62 (3.5 games behind)

Boston Red Sox: 78-63 (3.5 games behind)

New York Yankees Remaining Schedule (22 games): Sept. 4, at Houston; Sept. 5-7, vs. Toronto; Sept. 9-11, vs. Detroit; Sept. 12-14, at Boston; Sept. 15-17, at Minnesota; Sept. 18-21, at Baltimore; Sept. 23-25 vs. Chicago White Sox; Sept. 26-28, vs. Baltimore.

Boston Red Sox Remaining Schedule (21 games): Sept. 5-7, at Arizona; Sept. 8-10, at Athletics; Sept. 12-14, vs. New York Yankees; Sept. 16-18, vs. Athletics; Sept. 19-21, at Tampa Bay; Sept. 23-25 at Toronto; Sept. 26-28, vs. Detroit.