Scouting the AL East

A team-by-team look at the American League East, including key players each club acquired and lost, top hitters and projected rotations, and outlooks for the 2025 season. Listed in order of finish last year:New York Yankees2024: 94-68, first place, AL champions, lost to Dodgers in World Series.Manager: Aaron Boone (eighth season).Opening Day: March 27 vs. Milwaukee.He's Here: LHP Max Fried, RHP Devin Williams, 1B Paul Goldschmidt, OF Cody Bellinger, RHP Fernando Cruz, RHP Carlos Carrasco, C Alex Jackson, RHP Michael Arias, SS Braden Shewmake, SS Andrew Velazquez, RHP Owen White.He's Outta Here: RF Juan Soto, 2B Gleyber Torres, RHP Clay Holmes, LHP Nestor Cortes, C Jose Trevino, OF Alex Verdugo, RHP Tommy Kahnle, LHP Tim Mayza, LHP Caleb Ferguson, RHP Cody Poteet, INF Jon Berti.Top Hitters: OF Aaron Judge (.322, ML-high 58 HRs, ML-high 144 RBIs, 1.159 OPS), 1B Paul Goldschmidt (career-low .245, 22, 65, career-high 173 Ks for St. Louis), OF Cody Bellinger (.266, 18, 78 for Chicago Cubs), C Austin Wells (.229, 13, 55), SS Anthony Volpe (.243, 12, 60, 28/35 SBs), 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr. (.256. 24, 73, 40/50 SB).Projected Rotation: LH Max Fried (11-10, 3.25 ERA, 166 Ks in 174 1/3 IP for Atlanta), LH Carlos Rodón (16-9, 3.96, 195 Ks, 175 IP), RH Clarke Schmidt (5-5, 2.85 in 16 starts), RH Marcus Stroman (10-9, 4.31), RHP Will Warren (0-3, 10.32 in five starts and one relief appearance, 6-5, 5.91 in 23 starts at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre).Key Relievers: RH Devin Williams (1-0, 1.25, 14/16 saves, 38 Ks in 21 2/3 IP for Milwaukee), RH Luke Weaver (7-3, 2.89, 103 Ks in 84 IP), RH Mark Leiter Jr. (4-5, 4.50, 86 Ks in 58 IP for Chicago Cubs and Yankees), RH Jake Cousins (2-1, 2.37, 53 Ks in 39 IP), LH Tim Hill (3-0, 2.05).Outlook: After reaching the World Series for the first time since 2009 and losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games, the Yankees were outbid for Soto, and the All-Star outfielder left for the New York Mets. The Yankees quickly pivoted, signing Fried and Goldschmidt and trading for Williams and Bellinger. Gerrit Cole, their ace, needs Tommy John surgery and will miss the season. Gil, the reigning AL Rookie of the Year, will be out until midseason because of a strained lat muscle. Williams, among MLB's most dominant closers, was acquired from Milwaukee and joins a bullpen where Weaver supplanted Holmes last September. Following the departure of Torres to Detroit at a free agent, the Yankees are looking at Wells as their leadoff hitter — New York hasn't had a catcher hit leadoff in 19,451 games — 19,014 regular season and 437 in the postseason. Chisholm shifted from third to second as Torres' replacement. Giancarlo Stanton will start the season on the IL because of tendon injuries in both elbows, leaving Ben Rice as the likely early option at DH. With DJ LeMahieu injured again, Oswaldo Peraza is the best option at third base. Rookie Jasson Domínguez is being given a chance in left after missing most of 2024 following Tommy John surgery and then a strained oblique. New York improved from 88 wins in 2023 to 94 last year and led the major leagues with 237 homers and the AL with 815 runs. The Yankees tried to improve a defense that cost them in the World Series, especially during a fifth-inning meltdown in Game 5 when they wasted a 5-0 lead and were eliminated. Pitchers Jonathan Loáisiga (final stages of recovering from Tommy John surgery) and Cousins (strained forearm) likely will start the season on IL. Baltimore Orioles2024: 91-71, second place, lost to Kansas City in Wild Card Series.Manager: Brandon Hyde (seventh season).Opening Day: March 27 at Toronto.He's Here: OF Tyler O'Neill, RHP Andrew Kittredge, RHP Tomoyuki Sugano, OF Ramón Laureano, RHP Charlie Morton, C Gary Sánchez.He's Outta Here: RHP Corbin Burnes, OF Anthony Santander, C James McCann, LHP John Means, DH Eloy Jiménez, LHP Danny Coulombe, RHP Jacob Webb.Top Hitters: SS Gunnar Henderson, (.281, 37, 92, .893 OPS), 3B Jordan Westburg (.264, 18, 63, .792 OPS), OF Colton Cowser (.242, 24, 69, .768 OPS), C Adley Rutschman (.250, 19, 79, .709 OPS), OF Tyler O'Neill (.241, 31, 61, .847 OPS with Boston).Projected Rotation: RH Grayson Rodriguez (13-4, 3.86 ERA), RH Zach Eflin (10-9, 3.59 with Tampa Bay and Baltimore), RH Dean Kremer (8-10, 4.10), RH Charlie Morton (8-10, 4.19 with Atlanta), RH Tomoyuki Sugano (15-3, 1.67 with Japan's Yomiuri Giants).Key Relievers: RH Félix Bautista (missed 2024 season), RH Andrew Kittredge (5-5, 2.80, 1 save with St. Louis), RH Yennier Cano (4-3, 3.15, 5 saves).Outlook: After a remarkably successful rebuild that yielded a 101-win season in 2023, the Orioles finally hit some adversity last year, slumping in the second half before being swept out of the playoffs as a wild card. Now Baltimore has to move on without Burnes, an ace who wasn't replaced by a pitcher of similar stature in the offseason. It feels like anything is possible — both good and bad — with this starting rotation, which is already dealing with an injury to Rodriguez but also has Kyle Bradish working his way back from Tommy John surgery. The bullpen figures to get a boost from Bautista, who is returning from his own Tommy John operation. The lineup is more stable, led by an MVP candidate in Henderson and plenty of young talent elsewhere. If infielder Jackson Holliday improves on a tough rookie campaign, this team could be even better offensively, and top prospect Samuel Basallo has shown off his power this spring.Boston Red Sox2024: 81-81, third place.Manager: Alex Cora (seventh season, fifth of second stint).Opening Day: March 27 at Texas.He's Here: INF Alex Bregman, RHP Walker Buehler, LHP Garrett Crochet, LHP Aroldis Chapman, LHP Justin Wilson.He's Outta Here: C Danny Jansen, RHP Luis Garcia, RHP Lucas Sims, RHP Chris Martin, LF Tyler O'Neill, RHP Kenley Jansen, RHP Nick Pivetta, LHP James Paxton.Top Hitters: INF Rafael Devers (.272, 28 HRs, 83 RBIs, .871 OPS), INF Alex Bregman (.260, 26, 75, .768 OPS with Houston), OF Jarren Duran (.285, 21, 75, .834 OPS), OF Wilyer Abreu (.253, 15, 58, .781 OPS), 1B Triston Casas (.241, 13, 32, .800 ).Projected Rotation: LH Garrett Crochet (6-12, 3.58 ERA), RH Tanner Houck (9-10, 3.12), RH Walker Buehler (1-6, 5.38), RH Lucas Giolito (8-15, 4.88 with three teams in 2023), RH Quinn Priester (3-6, 4.71 in 11 games, 7 starts with Pittsburgh and Boston).Key Relievers: Liam Hendriks (4-4, 2.81, 37 saves in 41 opportunities in 2022), LH Aroldis Chapman (5-5, 3.79, 14 saves), LH Justin Wilson (1-5, 5.59), RH Garrett Whitlock (1-0, 1.96).Outlook: Last year's .500 record snapped a string of back-to-back last-place finishes, and the improvement in the rotation over the offseason gives the Red Sox hope that they might return to the playoffs for the first time since 2021. Crochet came from the White Sox in a trade and could be the ace. Buehler returned from Tommy John surgery for the Dodgers last year and only really clicked in the playoffs, when he pitched 13 consecutive shutout innings over three appearances, including a save in the Game 5 clincher over the New York Yankees. If Giolito can return to form after missing 2024, he is another strong option to go with holdovers Houck and Brayan Bello, who won't be ready for opening day because of shoulder soreness. The big addition in the lineup is Bregman, who is also a Gold Glove third baseman, but Cora will need to manage the defensive positioning to keep Devers happy. The incumbent has led the AL in errors by a third baseman in each of his first seven full seasons, but Cora has so far stood by him.Tampa Bay Rays2024: 80-82, fourth place.Manager: Kevin Cash (11th season).Opening Day: March 28 vs. Colorado.He's Here: C Danny Jansen, SS Ha-Seong Kim, RHP Alex Faedo, DH Eloy Jimenez, RHP Joe Boyle.He's Outta Here: LHP Jeffrey Springs, LHP Tyler Alexander, LHP Colin Poche, LHP Richard Lovelady, OF Dylan Carlson, OF Jose Siri.Top Hitters: 1B Yandy Diaz (.281, 14 HRs, 65 RBIs), INF-OF Jose Caballero (.227, 9, 44, AL-leading 44 SBs, .630 OPS), INF Ha-Seong Kim (.233, 11, 22 SBs with San Diego), OF Eloy Jimenez (.238, 6, 23 in 98 games with the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore), OF Josh Lowe (.241, 10, 34, 25 SBs), INF Brandon Lowe (.244, 21, 58), 3B Junior Caminero (.248, 6, 18 in 43 games).Projected Rotation: LH Shane McClanahan (Did not pitch due to injury), RH Zack Littell (8-10, 3.63 ERA, 141 strikeouts, 31 walks), RH Ryan Pepiot (8-8, 3.60), RH Taj Bradley (8-11, 4.11 ERA), RH Shane Baz (4-3, 3.06 ERA).Key Relievers: RH Pete Fairbanks (3-3, 3.57 ERA, 23 saves), RH Edwin Uceta (2-0, 1.51 ERA, 5 saves), RH Kevin Kelly (5-2, 2.67 ERA), LH Garrett Cleavinger (7-5, 3.75 ERA, 6 saves).Outlook: The Rays will be playing regular-season home games this season at Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees' spring training ballpark in Tampa, Florida, after Tropicana Field received major damage from Hurricane Milton last October. A strong beginning will be key as they will play 37 of 54 games at home starting the season to try and avoid as much of Florida's summer rainy season as possible. McClanahan has been named opening day starter after missing all of last season following his second Tommy John surgery and tops a potentially strong rotation. The Rays, who had a five-year playoff run end in 2024, will need significant offensive improvement to reach the postseason. Tampa Bay hit just .230 last season, which was fourth lowest in the AL. The Rays hit 147 homers, with just the anemic Chicago White Sox (41-121) at 133 homers connecting for fewer in the league. Tampa Bay is hopeful that Jimenez and Jansen can provide long-ball power. Kim will start the season on the injured list with a right shoulder injury that required surgery.Toronto Blue Jays2024: 74-88, fifth place.Manager: John Schneider (fourth season).Opening Day: March 27 vs. Baltimore Orioles.He's Here: OF/DH Anthony Santander, RHP Max Scherzer, RHP Jeff Hoffman, 2B Andrés Giménez, RHP Yimi Garcia, RHP Nick Sandlin, OF Myles Straw, RHP Angel Bastardo, Hitting coach David Popkins, Assistant GM David Bell.He's Outta Here: RHP Jordan Romano, INF Spencer Horwitz, LHP Génesis Cabrera, RHP Dillon Tate, Hitting coach Guillermo Martinez.Top Hitters: 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (.323, 30 HRs, 103 RBIs, .940 OPS), OF/DH Anthony Santander (.235, 44, 102, .814 OPS with Baltimore), SS Bo Bichette (.225, 4, 31, .598 OPS in 81 games), RF George Springer (.220, 19, 56), CF Daulton Varsho (.214, 18, 58, won first Gold Glove).Projected Rotation: RH Kevin Gausman (14-11, 3.83 ERA), RH Max Scherzer (2-4, 3.95 in nine starts with Texas), RH José Berríos (16-11, 3.60), RH Chris Bassitt (10-14, 4.16), RH Bowden Francis (8-5, 3.30).Key Relievers: RH Jeff Hoffman (3-3, 2.17 ERA, 10/13 saves with Philadelphia), RH Yimi Garcia (3-0, 2.70 ERA, 5 saves in 29 games with Toronto before trade to Seattle), RH Chad Green (4-6, 3.21, 17 saves).Outlook: With Guerrero and Bichette both eligible for free agency following the 2025 World Series, the Blue Jays are under pressure to deliver in what could be the duo's final season north of the border. The addition of Santander gives Toronto the cleanup hitter it has lacked since trading away Teoscar Hernández following the 2022 season. The switch-hitting Santander whacked a career-high 44 home runs for Baltimore last year. The Blue Jays hit 156 homers in 2024, the fifth-lowest total in the majors, while their 671 runs ranked as MLB's 23rd highest total. That lackluster production, a second consecutive season of offensive underperformance, led to the firing of hitting coach Martinez, with Popkins hired to replace him. Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, adds another experienced arm to an already veteran-heavy starting rotation, while Hoffman rejoins the organization that drafted him following a career season with Philadelphia.