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. If a team defeats its closest competitor, the magic
number decreases by two. When the first-place team’s magic number is 0,
the team is determined to win a division.
The formula is: Games remaining +1 - (Losses by second place team -
losses by first place team)^4
To make it clearer, it is the number of wins needed for a team to confirm
its standing, even when its closest competitor wins all the remaining
games. If a new second-place team emerges, the magic number adjusts to
that new second place team. The second-place team (in terms of total
losses) is always used as the barometer for the first-place team's magic
number.
The following is standing of AL Central 2020 at 10 days before the
season ends.