The big question for the AL East this offseason will be: Were the Toronto Blue Jays a fluke? Hardly. Their World Series run showed the team has depth and youth waiting to contribute. After years of finishing runner-up to key free agents, does that trend now reverse after everyone saw what the Jays can do and now that their star first baseman has secured his bag? The rival New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will again throw money at their problems in order to overtake the Jays, while the frugal Tampa Bay Rays are in a bit of a rut these last two years. The Baltimore Orioles, meanwhile, could be the most interesting team to watch in the AL East this offseason.
2025 record: 94-68 (first place)
Postseason: Beat the New York Yankees in AL Division Series 3-1, beat the Seattle Mariners in AL Championship Series 4-3, lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in World Series 4-3.
What went right: The Blue Jays united baseball fans from all of Canada and most of the U.S. as they came within two outs of winning the World Series, only to see L.A. snatch the trophy away. Much of that was due to the exploits of superstar first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who may have saved a few jobs by signing a 14-year, $500 million contract extension in mid-April in what otherwise would have been his walk year. While that contract doesn’t kick in until next year, the Jays have probably already gotten their money’s worth with this postseason run following a last-place finish in the AL East the season before. Guerrero followed up a modest 23-homer regular season by smashing eight in the postseason and providing the inspiration the team needed. Shortstop Bo Bichette proved to be a good running mate with a bounce-back season, putting up a .311/.357/.483 slash line with 18 homers and a team-best 94 RBIs. George Springer did George Springer things with his .309/.399/.560 slash line, including a team-high 32 homers. Don’t forget about catcher Alejandro Kirk, who cranked out 15 homers to go along with a .282/.348/.421 slash line. Right-handers Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt paced the pitching staff during the regular season, but it was the postseason emergence of rookie right-hander Trey Yesavage, with only three regular-season starts, that helped propel the Jays as far as they went. There were contributions up and down the roster, not only in the regular season, but in particular the postseason that will live in Jays fans’ memory banks forever.
What went wrong: There wasn’t much during the regular season, but right fielder Anthony Santander was a huge disappointment in his first season with the Jays. Injuries limited him to 54 games, but even when he did play, he could only muster a .175/.271/.294 slash line with just six homers. The regular-season version of second baseman Andrés Giménez, acquired in a salary dump by the Cleveland Guardians, was also subpar, but he certainly redeemed himself in the postseason as he took over for the injured Bichette at shortstop and also popped homers in back-to-back games of the ALCS. Similarly, three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer had a 5.19 ERA in 17 regular-season starts, but then stepped at at big moments in the postseason. In a World Series that could have swung on any number of moments, the Jays simply missed their opportunities.
What needs to be done: Bichette, Bassitt and Scherzer are all free agents, while right-handed starter Shane Bieber made the surprising decision to exercise his $16 million option for 2026 when he could have earned much more on the open market. The biggest thing the Jays need to figure out is shortstop. Even if Bichette returns with his own big payday, his defense isn’t necessarily suited to the position, with a lack of range and arm strength. There is depth everywhere else in the position-player group for the Jays to run it back offensively. Yesavage will make the Opening Day rotation and be a favorite for AL Rookie of the Year. With Gausman, Bieber and Yesavage back and right-hander José Berríos expected to be healthy after being sidelined for the postseason with an elbow injury, Bassitt isn’t a priority to bring back, but he would a terrific addition, with someone like Bowden Francis serving as depth. Left-handed prospect Ricky Tiedemann didn’t pitch in 2024 as he recovered from Tommy John surgery, so he might be an option in the second half of the season as he builds up.
2025 record: 94-68 (second place, lost tiebreaker)
Postseason: Beat the Boston Red Sox in AL Wild Card Series 2-1, lost to the Blue Jays 3-1 in NL Division Series.
What went right: The Yankees tied for the best record in the division and beat the rival Red Sox in an AL Wild Card Series. After that, the positives mainly centered around Aaron Judge, who won his third MVP in four years. Judge had what has to be considered the second-best season of his illustrious career, putting up a .331/.457/.688 slash line with 53 homers and an AL-best 114 RBIs. Each slash category led MLB. Ben Rice, a catcher-first baseman-designated hitter, became a surprising contributor in his first full MLB season with 26 homers, while center fielder Trent Grisham doubled his previous career high with 34 homers while playing standout defense. Second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. gave the Yankees a third 30-homer guy with his 31 homers to go along with 31 steals and left fielder Cody Bellinger just missed becoming the fourth with his 29 homers. Austin Wells provided 21 homers and good defense from the catcher position. Left-handers Max Fried and Carlos Rodón were pretty good atop the starting rotation for the entire season, while rookie right-hander Cam Schlittler provided a second-half boost with a 2.96 ERA in 14 starts, then flashed his brilliance with a 12-strikeout performance vs. the Red Sox in the decisive Game 3 of the Wild Card Series. Right-hander David Bednar, a trade-deadline pickup from the Pittsburgh Pirates, provided much-needed stability at the back end of the bullpen with 10 saves and four wins in 22 appearances.
What went wrong: The Yankees lost the tiebreaker to the Blue Jays for the division title and were relegated to play a Wild Card Series, then played Toronto, which held home-field advantage due to the tiebreaker (Jays won the season series 8-5) and spanked the Yankees to win in four games. It was a disappointing exit following a World Series appearance in 2024. Two big contributors to that were an inconsistent bullpen and lack of starting pitching depth. Devin Williams, the second-biggest acquisition last offseason after the signing of Fried, was expected to be a lockdown closer like he was with the Milwaukee Brewers, but maybe it was the big-city blues or something else — Williams did not meet the moment. Williams, who didn’t have an ERA above 2.00 in his previous three seasons, was taken out of the closer’s role in April, a month in which he had three appearances in which he allowed at least three runs. He would have three more such appearances the rest of the year and finished with a 4.79 ERA, while still being close to his career walk and strikeout percentages. The rotation didn’t have ace right-hander Gerrit Cole, who underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery just before Opening Day and probably won’t return until June. Right-hander Clarke Schmidt also had TJ surgery, his coming in July, which could jeopardize his entire 2026 season. Right-hander Luis Gil, the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year, was limited to 11 starts after sustaining a strained lat in spring training. There were a few disappointments in the hitting group, too. Shortstop Anthony Volpe sustained a left shoulder injury in May that affected him the rest of the season offensively and defensively, while left fielder Jasson Domínguez never got much going during his rookie campaign. Wells struggled offensively in the second half. Then there is DH Giancarlo Stanton, who did hit 24 homers but only played in 77 games.
What needs to be done: The World Series is always the goal for the Yankees, but each of the last two seasons has exposed flaws that need to be addressed in order to win their first championship since 2009. After Grisham accepted a qualifying offer to stick around for 2026, the Yankees are facing the prospect of losing a few key free agents in Bellinger, Williams and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. Bellinger returning would be huge as protection for Judge and just his overall contributions and flexibility. Trade acquisition Ryan McMahon bolstered the defense when he took over at third base, while another pickup was José Caballero, who could push Volpe at short, but otherwise is a fantastic utility player. While the Yankees will be a consideration for some of the big-name free agents, general improvement will have to come from within — Dominguez and Volpe, in particular — unless a few trades are made. The rotation would seem to be in decent shape with Fried, Rodon, Gil, Schlitter and Will Warren until Cole returns. Bullpen arms are always a nice addition.
2025 record: 89-73 (third place, 5 GB)
Postseason: Lost to the Yankees in AL Wild Card Series 2-1.
What went right: If someone told you that the Red Sox traded Rafael Devers in mid-June, you would think it was a horrible season in Boston. Not so fast. Devers, in the midst of a soap opera over the position he would play following the late signing of third baseman Alex Bregman, was dealt to the San Francisco Giants on June 15 for four players. But maybe getting rid of that storm cloud is what the Red Sox needed. Following that, the Red Sox went from 37-36 to a finish of 52-37, a third-place finish in the East and a playoff berth. A lot of that was due to a young group of players producing as well as Bregman doing what he does. While his power was down due to missing a chunk of time due to injury, his slash line of .273/.360/.462 was right at his career numbers. Left fielder Jarren Duran and right fielder Wilyer Abreu emerged as key pieces to the offense, while veteran shortstop Trevor Story stayed healthy and had his best season since his days with the Colorado Rockies. Another young outfielder, Roman Anthony, was the top prospect in all of baseball when he came up midseason and put up a .292/.396/.463 slash line with nine homers and 32 RBIs. He finished third in AL Rookie of the Year voting. On the pitching side, Garrett Crochet’s first season in Boston went about as well as you could expect. The left-hander finished second in the AL Cy Young Award voting with a 2.59 ERA and an MLB-best 255 strikeouts en route to an 18-5 record. Right-handed starter Brayan Bello took a major step forward to provide a terrific 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation, while right-hander Lucas Giolito came back from having internal brace surgery and was also very good until being sidelined late in the season with elbow issues. Left-handed closer Aroldis Chapman was about as good as he has ever been, posting a 1.17 ERA and 32 saves and included a 17-game stretch in which he didn’t allow a hit. He led a pretty good bullpen effort.
What went wrong: The key prospects who got their chances before Anthony didn’t come through. Second baseman Kristian Campbell was on the Opening Day roster and back in the minors by late June after a slash line of .223/.319/.345 to begin his career, while infielder Marcelo Mayer put up a .228/.272/.402 line in 44 games before requiring season-ending wrist surgery. Another young player, first baseman Triston Casas, was struggling to the tune of .182/.277/.303 when he blew out his knee and was lost for the season, which was also the catalyst for the Devers trade as he refused to even try to learn first base. Right-handed starter Walker Buehler, who closed out the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ 2024 World Series triumph, wasn’t much of a contributor, putting up a 5.45 ERA in seven starts before being released. Right-hander Tanner Houck had an 8.04 ERA in nine starts before exiting the rotation to have Tommy John surgery. The struggles of Buehler and the Houck’s injury led to inconsistency in the back end of the rotation.
What needs to be done: Bregman is the big free-agent decision. He seemed to fit in well with the Red Sox, offensively, defensively and from a leadership perspective considering the Devers turmoil. If Bregman doesn’t return, that leaves a huge hole at third base and in the middle of the lineup. The Red Sox figure to be active in looking for another big bat as well as an arm to slot in with Crochet and Bello at the top. But they also need to figure out how Mayer and Campbell fit in. Mayer, the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft, is expected to be ready come spring training. Campbell bounced back at Triple-A with a .273/.382/.417 slash line and will be in the mix at second base. The young outfield is the strength of the offense as it is currently constructed and it also could be a spot for the Red Sox to trade from to fill the gaps elsewhere.
2025 record: 77-85 (fourth place, 17 GB)
Postseason: None (since 2023).
What went right: Playing at Steinbrenner Field instead of hurricane-damaged Tropicana Field didn’t feel like it had as much of an impact as some might have thought. While the Rays always seem to find a way to compete, it felt like 2025 was going to be a challenge no matter where they played. Third baseman Junior Caminero clearly stepped into the spotlight. Caminero, who turned 22 in July, blossomed into one of baseball’s top power hitters by launching 45 long balls and finishing as the runner-up in Home Run Derby. He put up a .264/.311/.535 slash line, also driving in 110 runs and scoring 93 to become the focus of this offense. Designated hitter Yandy Díaz produced 25 homers and 83 RBIs, while first baseman Jonathan Aranda hit .316. Second baseman Brandon Lowe contributed 31 homers in a healthy season. Left fielder Chandler Simpson showed off his blazing speed by stealing 44 bases (also caught 12 times), but hit a surprising .295, albeit with no power. There were rotation positives from right-handers Ryan Pepiot (3.86 ERA), Drew Rasmussen (2.76 ERA) and Zack Littell (3.58 ERA) and starters generally remained healthy. The bullpen was again a huge strength with closer Pete Fairbanks notching 27 saves and Garrett Cleavinger (2.35 ERA) the top left-hander. One more big development was the sale of the team to Patrick Zalupski for $1.7 billion.
What went wrong: Nothing screams out when looking up and down the Rays’ results. Sure, there were some rotation letdowns, notably right-handers Shane Baz (4.87 ERA) and Taj Bradley (4.61 ERA). Same with the hitting group (right fielder Josh Lowe and his .220/.283/.366 slash line stands out). There wasn’t much production from shortstop, either, as Ha-Seong Kim, a surprising offseason signing, put up a meager .214/.290/.321 line before being let go. How much of a player’s struggles could be attributed to playing in a minor-league park?
What needs to be done: The excellent news is that the Rays will be back at Tropicana Field in 2026. There are surely some upgrades that went into the stadium that will benefit players. Caminero’s power surge doesn’t seem out of sorts considering he hit 23 of his 45 homers on the road. However, his slash line was markedly worse on the road (.218/.266/.477) than at home (.313/.358/.595) to that homer total could come down a bit. The Rays need to figure out the shortstop situation, with Taylor Walls and rookie Carson Williams the top internal candidates. If the Rays can get Simpson to get on base more often (.326 OBP on a .295 batting average), he could be a real force at the top of the lineup. With a 17.3 hard-hit percentage and basically a league-worst exit velocity, Simpson only had 15 doubles and three triples among his 122 hits. Young right-hander Joe Boyle is likely to get a shot at the Opening Day rotation, while righty prospect Brody Hopkins could be an in-season promotion. Left-handed starter Shane McClanahan is nothing more than a wild card at this point after he wasn’t able to return from Tommy John surgery and had a procedure to fix a nerve issue in his left triceps in August. He hasn’t pitched in MLB since Aug. 2, 2023. The bullpen will need a new closer after Fairbanks’ option was surprisingly not picked up. Edwin Uceta and trade-deadline pickup Griffin Jax would be early candidates for that role.
2025 record: 75-87 (last place, 19 GB)
Postseason: None (since 2024).
What went right: The Orioles were the most puzzling team in all of baseball. They have a young corps of homegrown position players that have matriculated to the majors and would be the envy of pretty much every other team. The only standout this season from that group was shortstop Gunnar Henderson, the 2023 AL Rookie of the Year who finished fourth in 2024 AL MVP voting. While Henderson did hit .273, his power numbers dropped off significantly from 37 homers to 17. Other key contributors on offense were first baseman Ryan O’Hearn, right fielder Ramón Laureano and center fielder Cedric Mullins, all of whom were spun off at the trade deadline.
What went wrong: While it would be easy to point at any number of hitters, we have to start with the pitching staff. Only one member of the rotation who made double-digit starts had an ERA below 4.19. That was left-hander Trevor Rogers, who put up a 1.81 mark in 18 starts after coming back from a knee injury. The Orioles were roundly criticized in the offseason for not making a bigger push in free agency and that certainly haunted them. Star catcher Adley Rutschman was limited to 90 games by two oblique injuries, but still only had a .220/.307/.366 slash line in the fourth season of a career that saw him earn MVP votes his first two years. Second baseman Jackson Holliday still has yet to find his footing, although he is still 21 years old. Closer Félix Bautista came back from Tommy John surgery, only to have his season end in late July due to shoulder surgery, which will put him out most of 2026. The disappointing performance cost manager Brandon Hyde his job in mid-May.
What needs to be done: The Orioles made a really good hire to replace Hyde in Craig Albernaz, who had been the Cleveland Guardians‘ bench coach under Stephen Vogt. At 43 years old, Albernaz can make a good connection with the young players as well as veterans. He was a finalist for two jobs last offseason, but withdrew from the searches by the Miami Marlins and Chicago White Sox to remain with his good friend Vogt. Now, he has the challenge of fixing whatever ailed the Orioles this past season. That has to begin with turning around Rutschman, who suddenly has whispers about his future with the organization. Holliday was promoted from the bottom of the order to leadoff around the time Hyde was fired but didn’t take to the top spot. Fixing the rotation will help alleviate the pressure on the hitters.
