The Toronto Blue Jays faced a setback in their playoff pursuit after losing 2-1 to the Kansas City Royals on Saturday. This defeat not only prevented them from clinching a playoff berth but also allowed the New York Yankees to close the gap in the American League East standings. The Yankees defeated the Baltimore Orioles 6-1, keeping Toronto's magic number to clinch the division at five. This means that any combination of five Toronto wins and New York losses will secure the AL East title for the Blue Jays. The earliest Toronto can clinch is Wednesday night when they host the Boston Red Sox.

Despite being in a favorable position, some fans are feeling anxious. Many remember the 1987 season when the Blue Jays lost a division lead in the final days. Some supporters hope to see the division wrapped up before Friday, when the game against the Tampa Bay Rays will only be available on the Apple TV+ streaming service.

The Blue Jays' playoff magic number remains at three. They could have clinched a playoff spot with a win on Saturday, as the teams chasing them for the final wild-card berth were facing each other, ensuring some losses. However, the loss to Kansas City dashed those hopes.

In the current AL standings, Toronto holds a two-game lead over the Yankees, with a record of 89-66. They are three games ahead of the Seattle Mariners and four games ahead of the Detroit Tigers. The Blue Jays also hold the tiebreaker over these teams, effectively giving them a three-game lead on New York, four on Seattle, and five on Detroit. The top two division winners will skip the wild-card round and advance directly to the division series, with the best record earning home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

The situation for the Tigers is notable; they were 10.5 games ahead of the Cleveland Guardians on September 1 but now hold only a one-game lead. The Guardians have won ten straight games and are tied with Houston for the final wild-card spot, holding the tiebreaker.

Looking ahead, the Blue Jays have seven games remaining, with six at home against the Red Sox and Rays, and one road game against the Royals. The Yankees also have seven games left, with six at home against the White Sox and Orioles, and one road game against the Orioles.