Blue Jays Magic Number Falls Again in Pursuit of AL East Title

The Toronto Blue Jays chipped away at their magic number to clinch the American League East title on Tuesday.

Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Nathan Lukes (38) is congratulated by third baseman Addison Barger (47) after he hit a home run during the fourth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at George M. Steinbrenner Field. | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The Toronto Blue Jays kept on rolling toward clinching the American League East Division title on Tuesday with a 6-5 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Blue Jays (89-62) had to sweat it out, as the Rays (73-78) tried to rally in the ninth inning and cut a two-run lead to one run. Toronto used seven different pitchers, including starter Jose Berrios, who only went four innings. Eric Lauer (9-2) ended up with the win in relief.

Nathan Lukes and Joey Loperfido each hit home runs for Toronto, with George Springer driving in two runs out of the leadoff spot. The Blue Jays have two more games with Tampa Bay and their path to the AL East title is getting shorter.

Toronto Blue Jays Magic Number

1) Nathan Lukes homer!!!!

2) Please, for the love of everything, keep your hands to yourself going forward pic.twitter.com/GsBkmdrPUw

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) September 17, 2025

Toronto’s magic number to clinch the AL East title is made up of Blue Jays wins and New York Yankees losses. Toronto entered the game with a magic number of eight, but that’s without taking tiebreakers into account. When one considers Toronto has the tiebreaker over New York, the magic number was seven.

Well, Toronto’s win over Tampa Bay cut the magic number to seven and six (with the tiebreaker). It also cut their magic number to clinch a playoff berth to three. The Yankees outlasted the Minnesota Twins, 10-9, so the Blue Jays were unable to cut the magic number further.

The Blue Jays are also getting closer to clinching the No. 1 seed in the American League playoffs. While the Blue Jays beat the Rays, their closest pursuer, the Detroit Tigers (85-66), lost to the Cleveland Guardians. Now, Toronto has a four-game lead on the Tigers. That No. 1 seed comes with home-field advantage in the AL playoffs and a bye through to the divisional round.

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

NO REVIEW NECESSARY! pic.twitter.com/T2AYfJh5bj

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) September 17, 2025

Magic Number to Clinch AL East: 7 (six with tiebreaker)

Toronto Blue Jays Games Remaining: 11

Toronto Blue Jays Remaining Schedule: Sept. 17-18, 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. 16)

Toronto Blue Jays: 89-62 (lead division)

New York Yankees: 84-67 (5.0 games behind)

Boston Red Sox: 82-69 (7.0 games behind)

New York Yankees Remaining Schedule (11 games): Sept. 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 (11 games): Sept. 17-18, vs. Athletics; Sept. 19-21, at Tampa Bay; Sept. 23-25 at Toronto; Sept. 26-28, vs. Detroit.