Blue Jays Trim Magic Number with Victory but Yankees Remain Close

The Toronto Blue Jays shut out the Houston Astros to get a little bit closer to claiming the American League West title.

John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

The Toronto Blue Jays dominated the Houston Astros, 6-0, in a series finale that helped set them up for a weekend of divisional play that could further reduce their magic number to win the American League East Division.

Toronto (84-62) got a complete-game two-hitter from starting pitcher Kevin Gausman (10-10), who gave the Blue Jays’ bullpen some relief with a terrific performance. Davis Schneider hit a home run, his 11th of the season. Nathan Lukes and Addison Barger both hit RBI doubles. Barger and Schneider each had two RBI.

With the win, Toronto’s magic number to clinch the AL East dropped to 14.

Blue Jays Magic Number to Clinch AL East

John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Toronto entered the day with a magic number of 15 to clinch the division. Since the number drops each time the Blue Jays win or the New York Yankees lose, then Toronto’s win got them halfway to doubling up for the night. But Toronto needed a Yankees loss. The Blue Jays didn’t get the help. New York defeated Detroit, 9-3.

The win allowed the Yankees to keep pace with the Blue Jays entering Friday’s action. New York (81-65) is three games back in the division. Toronto will host Baltimore and New York will be at Boston. The latter series gives the Blue Jays a chance to accelerate reducing their magic number this weekend.

Toronto is now back in the No. 1 seed in the AL, percentage points ahead of the Tigers. So, the Yankees helped the Blue Jays in that respect. The No. 1 seed 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

John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Magic Number to Clinch AL East: 14

Toronto Blue Jays Games Remaining: 16

Toronto Blue Jays Remaining Schedule: 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. 11)

Toronto Blue Jays: 84-62 (lead division)

New York Yankees: 81-65 (3.0 games behind)

Boston Red Sox: 81-66 (3.5 games behind)

New York Yankees Remaining Schedule (16 games): 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 (15 games): 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.