Magic Number Update: How the Blue Jays can win the AL East today

The math is simple for the Toronto Blue Jays, they just have to keep winning.
Sep 25, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Anthony Santander (left) and center fielder Daulton Varsho (center) and right fielder Nathan Lukes (right) celebrate a win over the Boston Red Sox during the ninth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Sep 25, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Anthony Santander (left) and center fielder Daulton Varsho (center) and right fielder Nathan Lukes (right) celebrate a win over the Boston Red Sox during the ninth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Nobody said it was going to be easy. And besides, easy is boring. Easy doesn't have you clawing at the edges of your seat watching Jeff Hoffman walk a pair of Tampa Bay Rays batters in the top of the ninth of a two run game, only to see the Jays closer lock it down a few batters later and give the Blue Jays their 92nd win of the year.

That's how Friday night's contest ended, with the tying runs in scoring position, the go-ahead run at the plate and Hoffman, who's had a Jekyll and Hyde season, coming through to get the always dangerous Yandy Diaz to ground out to end the ball game.

The fans at Rogers Centre and the millions watching (well maybe not that many since the game aired on Apple TV+) breathed a sigh of relief as Toronto matched their highest win total since 2022, with still two games to play.

Magic Number Update: How the Blue Jays can win the AL East today

Those two games will be crucial as the fate of the AL East could come down to those final two contests, or, it could be decided by the end of the day on Saturday and Game 162 would become otherwise meaningless.

The Blue Jays would love it if that game meant nothing. They would love it if they could sit back and cruise into the postseason with not only a division championship in hand, but the top spot in the entire American League, something they haven't done since 1993.

But in order for that to become reality, they not only need to win on Saturday against the pesky Rays, but they will need some help from one division rival against another division rival. The Blue Jays Magic Number to clinch is two - so if the Baltimore Orioles can defeat the New York Yankees, it would lock up the AL East for Toronto.

The Yankees and the Orioles get their game started at 1pm while the Blue Jays and the Rays are scheduled for first pitch at 3:07 pm. It's come down to the wire, the battle for supremacy in the American League is on the line in the penultimate game of the season. And even after Saturday, it still might not be settled.

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