The following story will contain updated magic numbers for every MLB contender as we close in on the postseason.
Ah, October baseball. There’s nothing like it. But to get there, every contender must survive a daunting pennant chase, clinching one of just five playoff spots (per league).
So, how close is your favorite team from clinching a spot in the playoffs? There’s only one way to know for sure, and that’s determined by a Magic Number.
MLB: What is a Magic Number in baseball?
The following, from MLB.com, sums it up quite well.
“In baseball, the phrase “magic number” is used to determine how close a team is to making the playoffs or winning the division. It becomes prominent every year in September as teams begin closing in on clinching.
A team’s magic number represents the combination of wins needed by that team and losses by its closest competitor to clinch a given goal. Every time a team wins, its magic number decreases by one. Similarly, every time that team’s closest competitor for the division (or Wild Card) loses, the magic number also decreases by one.”
Every MLB contender’s magic number
A magic number for every MLB contender can be found via playoffmagic.com, or on the MLB Magic Numbers Twitter account. Check out either of those pages for an updated Magic Number.
As of this writing (Aug. 24), the Magic Number for each division leader is as follows:
Tampa Bay Rays Magic Number to clinch AL East: 33
Chicago White Sox Magic Number to clinch AL Central: 28
Houston Astros Magic Number to clinch AL West: 33
New York Yankees Magic Number to clinch Wild Card: 33
Boston Red Sox Magic Number to clinch Wild Card: 35
Atlanta Braves Magic Number to clinch NL East: 33
Milwaukee Brewers Magic Number to clinch NL Central: 30
San Francisco Giants Magic Number to clinch NL West: 35
Los Angeles Dodgers Magic Number to clinch Wild Card: 27
Cincinnati Reds Magic Number to clinch Wild Card: 36
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