Blue Jays Magic Number Drops But AL East Division Race Remains Tight

The Toronto Blue Jays helped their chances of winning the AL East with a victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.

Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette (11) reacts after a play in the seventh inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

The Toronto Blue Jays bounced back on Tuesday with a 12-9 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.

The Blue Jays got a leadoff home run from George Springer, and he finished the game with three hits and three RBI. Bo Bichette hit a home run of his own and had three RBI. Daulton Varsho finished off the power surge with a home run, which was his 17th of the season even though he’s had two different stings on the injured list.

Starter Jose Berrios was only able to go two innings for the Blue Jays as he allowed five hits and six runs, though only two of those runs were earned. Louis Varland picked up the win in relief while Jeff Hoffman claimed save No. 30 on the season. That win helped the Blue Jays’ magic number to win the American League East title.

Blue Jays Magic Number to Clinch AL East

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Toronto trimmed its magic number to win the AL East to 22, but the Blue Jays didn’t get any other help. Both the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox won their games on Tuesday, keeping both within 2.5 games of Toronto. The Yankees are the higher-ranked team thanks to tiebreakers over the Red Sox.

The magic number is based on the combination of Blue Jays wins and New York Yankees losses to help Toronto clinch the division.

The Blue Jays are also trying to keep pace for the top playoff seed in the American League. Toronto moved a half-game ahead of Detroit. Both have 80 wins, but the Blue Jays have a slightly higher winning percentage.

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: 22

Toronto Blue Jays Games Remaining: 23

Toronto Blue Jays Remaining Schedule: Sept. 3 at Cincinnati; 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. 2)

Toronto Blue Jays: 80-59 (lead division)

New York Yankees: 77-61 (2.5 games behind)

Boston Red Sox: 78-62 (2.5 games behind)

New York Yankees Remaining Schedule (23 games): Sept. 3-4, 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 (22 games): Sept. 3, vs. Cleveland; 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.