The Toronto Blue Jays are on the verge of a triumphant return to the postseason after securing a crucial win against the Kansas City Royals. Their sights are now set on clinching the top spot in the AL East to secure a bye to the ALDS.
Following victories by both the Blue Jays and the New York Yankees, Toronto currently holds a two-game lead over their rivals in the division race.
With the Detroit Tigers faltering late in the season, the Blue Jays are well-positioned to secure a top-two seed in the American League and progress beyond the wild-card round. However, their path to a higher seed hinges on winning the AL East first.
As Toronto enters the final stretch of the regular season with six games remaining, let’s delve into how they can claim the division’s top spot.
The concept of a team’s “magic number” in baseball signifies how close they are to securing a playoff berth. For the Blue Jays, this number can be calculated using a specific formula that considers the games remaining and the losses of their closest competitor.
Notably, the Blue Jays have a strong advantage in tiebreakers due to their impressive performances against key contenders like the Yankees and the Boston Red Sox.
While the Yankees made a significant push with a win over the Baltimore Orioles, the Blue Jays maintained their lead in the division race, edging closer to their first division title since 2015.
Toronto’s magic number to clinch the AL East currently stands at four, taking into account their favorable tiebreaker record against New York.
The Blue Jays could potentially secure the division title as early as Wednesday, with both teams enjoying a day off on Monday.
According to FanGraphs, Toronto holds an 86.5% chance of winning the division, significantly higher than the Yankees’ 13.2% chance. Meanwhile, the Red Sox are still in contention, albeit trailing the Blue Jays by five games.
In the upcoming matchups, the Blue Jays will face off against the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays, while the Yankees are set to take on the Chicago White Sox and the Baltimore Orioles.
Keyphrase: Toronto Blue Jays playoff race