Blue Jays Extend AL East Lead, Shrink Magic Number with Win Over Astros

The Toronto Blue Jays bounced back after a bad series against the New York Yankees to beat the Houston Astros in extra innings.

Toronto Blue Jays catcher Tyler Heineman (55) gets the water bucket poured on him against the Houston Astros at then of the tenth inning at Rogers Centre. | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

The Toronto Blue Jays went extra innings with the Houston Astros on Tuesday night but came away with a 4-3 victory in a key American League showdown.    

Toronto (83-61) won the game on a Tyler Heineman fielder’s choice ground ball that scored Myles Straw from third base. The designated runner reached third base after Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled to start the inning. Earlier in the game, George Springer hit his 28th home run of the season. Closer Jeff Hoffman pitched the 10th inning and won his ninth game of the season. Starter Shane Bieber had a rocky outing, giving up nine hits and three earned runs in 5.2 innings.

Toronto needed a win to maintain its lead in the AL East. But the Blue Jays got some help that dropped its magic number to win the division further.

Blue Jays Magic Number to Clinch AL East

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After the day off on Monday, the Blue Jays began their series with the Astros with a magic number at 18, which had been stuck there since Sunday after Toronto lost to the New York Yankees. There was plenty of movement, since the magic number drops for every Blue Jays win and Yankees loss. Toronto’s win dropped the number to 17. The Yankees lost to the Detroit Tigers, 12-2, to reduce the Blue Jays’ number to 16. That also pushed Toronto’s lead in the division to three games.

The Blue Jays maintained the best record in the AL, but only by percentage points over the Detroit Tigers, as the pair are fighting for the No. 1 seed in the American League 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

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Magic Number to Clinch AL East: 16

Toronto Blue Jays Games Remaining: 18

Toronto Blue Jays Remaining Schedule: Sept. 10-11, 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. 9)

Toronto Blue Jays: 83-61 (lead division)

Boston Red Sox: 81-65 (3.0 games behind)

New York Yankees: 81-64 (3.0 games behind)

New York Yankees Remaining Schedule (18 games): Sept. 10-11, 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 (16 games): Sept. 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.