Blue Jays Bash Yankees as Magic Number to Claim AL East Title Falls Again

Entering Friday’s action, the Blue Jays’ magic number to win the AL East was 20. The magic number changes every time the Blue Jays win a game and every time the second-place team in the division loses a game. In this case, Toronto won twice. Its victory cut the number to 19 and because the Yankees lost, it dropped to 18. New York’s loss opened up the potential for Boston to move into second place due to a late game at Arizona. But, whether Boston won or lost, Toronto’s magic number would remain at 18.

Why? Toronto’s magic number over Boston was already 19 going into Friday. Toronto’s win made it 18. If Boston wins, the number remains 18. If Boston loses, New York remains in second place, and the number remains 18.

Toronto is also chasing the best record in the AL and locked in a duel with the Detroit Tigers. After Friday’s action, the Blue Jays were up by more than a game on Detroit because the Tigers lost. 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 AL East: 18

Toronto Blue Jays Games Remaining: 21

Toronto Blue Jays Remaining Schedule: Sept. 6-7, 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. 5)

Toronto Blue Jays: 82-59 (lead division)

New York Yankees: 78-63 (4.0 games behind)

Boston Red Sox: 78-63 (4.0 games behind)

New York Yankees Remaining Schedule (21 games): Sept. 6-7, 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 (20 games): Sept. 6-7, 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.