Magic Number Watch: Blue Jays in, Mets and Dodgers aim to clinch on Saturday

(AP) It’s that time of year again. The time where magic numbers and playoff scenarios take over our lives and leave us searching for the least confusing explanation available.

That’s where Big League Stew comes in. From now until the final postseason spot is secured, we’ll keep you updated on all of the latest clinches, magic number changes and new playoff scenarios.

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So far, the Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs are in. Who’s poised to join them next? Those answers will appear right now.

READY TO CLINCH

Team: Toronto Blue Jays

Magic Number to clinch playoff berth: 0

Scenario: Based on a scheduling technicality, the Blue Jays are for all intents and purposes already in the postseason. It’s an anti-climatic scenario based on potential three-way tie scenarios involved AL wild-card teams. MLB.com has the full explanation here. If you’re us though, you don’t really consider it official until the champagne corks are popped. That should happen following the Jays afternoon battle against the Rays.

Team: New York Mets

Magic Number to clinch NL East: 1

Scenario: The Mets can clinch with a win Saturday afternoon against the Cincinnati Reds. They’ll send Matt Harvey to the hill at 4:10 p.m. ET. If that doesn’t work out, another Nationals loss to the Phillies would do the trick. That game is also slated for late afternoon.

Team: Los Angeles Dodgers

Magic Number to clinch NL West: 2

Scenario: The Dodgers will need some help to wrap things up on Saturday. The second-place Giants play in the afternoon in Oakland. If they lose, the Dodgers will have a chance to clinch Saturday night in Colorado. The Rockies don’t have a pool to celebrate in, but they do provide wine to playoff clinching teams. There are definitely perks to clinching there.

COMING UP

Team: Texas Rangers

Magic Number to clinch AL West: 5

Scenario: The Rangers are running away with the West thanks to their late surge. It’s a two-team race behind them with one-half game separating the Astros and Angels. The Rangers will look to continue burying the Astros this weekend before finishing the season with three at home against Detroit and a big four-game series with the Angels.

Team: New York Yankees

Magic Number to clinch playoff berth: 6

Scenario: The Yankees would have to royally collapse to not lock up the top wild-card spot. They also still have an outside shot at the division, where they trail by four games.

AL WILD CARD

Teams involved: Houston Astros (80-74), Los Angeles Angels (79-74), Minnesota Twins (78-75), Cleveland Indians (76-76), Baltimore Orioles (76-77)

Scenario: Still a potential for chaos. The Astros, Angels and Twins have been locked in this battle for weeks. The Indians and Orioles are on the very fringe of mattering here, but are still close enough to run the table and edge in there. This is where our attention will be at this time next week.

ALREADY IN

• KANSAS CITY ROYALS: Playoff bound: For the first time ever, the Royals have won the AL Central

• ST. LOUIS CARDINALS: Cardinals are headed to the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season

• PITTSBURGH PIRATES: Pirates earn third consecutive postseason berth with win in Colorado

• CHICAGO CUBS: Is this the year? Rebuilt Cubs earn first playoff berth since 2008

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