MLB magic numbers are shrinking by the day. The teams to keep an eye on are the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves, as their magic numbers are in single digits. However, there are more exciting things occuring in baseball as the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates are fighting for the top spot of the N.L. Central. Check out all the magic numbers as we get ready for another exciting weekend of baseball.
Dodgers & Braves
The Dodgers trimmed their magic number with a victory on Thursday after defeating the San Francisco Giants. Their magic number is currently five, meaning they are a combination of five wins/Giants losses away from officially taking the N.L. West. Meanwhile, down in Florida, the Braves defeated the Miami Marlins behind a rejuvinated Freddy Garcia. The Braves' lead in the division is shrinking, but with every win, they get their magic number down. Entering Friday, their magic number is sitting on six.
Pirates and Cards
The Pirates and Cardinals have identical records and their magic number is currently 14. The Cincinnati Reds are the odd team out. They are 2.5-games behind both teams and they are not getting any share of the top spot in the division. Both the Pirates and Cardinals have exactly 16 games to decide who will finish on top.
Oakland Athletics
Their magic number is also far from decided. They hold a 3.5-game lead over the Texas Rangers, which is not safe entering the final two weeks of baseball. The A's magic number is also 14. If the Rangers continue to struggle, however, this number might quickly decrease and the A.L. West might become a one-team race.
Other Magic Numbers: Detroit Tigers- 11, Boston Red Sox- 8
