Blue Jays Have Magic Number to Clinch After Tying for AL Wild Card Berth

Suddenly, no one can cool off the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays won their fourth straight game on Saturday, defeating the Kansas City Royals, 4-3. Toronto moved one game above .500 for the season as Mason Fluharty (6-1) claimed the win and closer Louis Varland recorded his 33rd save.

The game was tied 3-3 in the top of the seventh inning when Blue Jays rookie Kazuma Okamoto singled to center field to bring home George Springer. The Blue Jays stranded both Okamoto and Nathan Lukes, but it was enough for the Blue Jays to clinch the victory.

But it was more than that. The Blue Jays (72-71) Have been trying desperately to get back to the postseason to redeem themselves after losing the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games. As the Blue Jays won, the Cleveland Guardians lost and Toronto climbed the mountain. After Saturday night's win, the Blue Jays got a magic number.

The Blue Jays’ Magic Number

Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider looks out from the dugout. — Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider. Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The magic number is an unofficial number but it's important. When looking at whether an MLB team can clinch a playoff berth the number signifies the number of wins that team needs, combined with the number of losses of the team in closest pursuit, to clinch a playoff berth.

It's a bit easier to calculate when it comes to a division race. But there is no chance of the Blue Jays catching the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East. Toronto's only avenue to the postseason is clinch a wild card berth.

Realistically there's only one birth to be had. The New York Yankees are 9.5 games ahead of the final wild card berth while the Boston Red Sox are six games ahead. Both of Toronto’s AL East rivals are all but locked in.

The Blue Jays now have the chance to make it a clean sweep for the division when it comes to the wild card. Toronto's victory, combined with Cleveland’s loss, put the pair in a tie for the final wild card berth. Because the Blue Jays own the tiebreaker over the Guardians, if the season ended on Sunday, the Blue Jays would get the final berth.

Here is how things stack up after Saturday’s action:

AL Wild Card Race

Toronto: 72-71 (tied for third wild card berth)

Cleveland: 72-71 (tied for third wild card berth)

Texas: 70-73 (2.0 games behind)

Baltimore: 69-74 (3.0 games behind)

Magic Numbers

Cleveland: 20

Texas: 20

For now, the Blue Jays and the Guardians have the same magic number because the two teams are tied. After months of fighting, the Blue Jays still had the chance to accomplish their goal from March and make the playoffs.

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