Yes, it’s that time of the year when you can calculate how many wins of the first place team combined with the defeats of the second place team equals a division title. The Angels’ magic number stands at 23 after a not-so-simple calculation. Here is the official formula:
Number of games in a season (plus) 1 (minus) wins of first-place team (minus) defeats of second-place team.
In the Angels’ situation as of the end of play Friday, here is the calculation:
162 (plus) 1 (minus) 80 (minus) 60 (equals) 23.
To anybody good at math, I salute you.