Bo Bichette's Knee Injury Opens Door For Red Sox, Yankees In AL East Race

Bo Bichette landed on the injured list, and it opens the door for the AL East crown.

Sep 2, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette (11) reacts after a play in the seventh inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

The American League East race is one of the most competitive division races in baseball each year. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are constantly at the top of the league. Surprisingly enough, the same thing can be said about the Tampa Bay Rays. The Baltimore Orioles had been good for the last few years before this season, and the Toronto Blue Jays have been a tough team since bringing Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to the big leagues.

This year, it's a three-team race between the Red Sox, Yankees, and first-place Blue Jays for the division title. The Blue Jays have been at the top of the division for a while now, but the Red Sox and Yankees have closed in over the last few weeks.

But the Blue Jays might have just left the door wide open for New York and Boston to close the gap down the stretch. The aforementioned Bichette recently landed on the injured list with a knee injury, and it could shake things up in the AL East down the stretch.

Red Sox, Yankees in the AL East race after Bo Bichette injury

Apr 27, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette (11) tags out New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) on a steal attempt at second base during the eighth inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Bichette has been one of the Blue Jays' best players all year, so it's a crippling loss to lose him right now. They're at one of the most important stretches of games of the season, with the Red Sox and Yankees heating up, and they're going to be without their star.

The Yankees play a favorable schedule down the stretch. They have two series against the Orioles and a series against the Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, Minnesota Twins, and Chicago White Sox to close out the year. The Red Sox and Blue Jays will match up in a series in late September that could decide the division winner.

The AL East will likely be decided in the final days of the year. All three of the teams mentioned so far are almost guaranteed to make the postseason, but only one can win the division. It's going to be much harder for the Blue Jays to clutch onto their two-game lead without Bichette for the foreseeable future.

More MLB: Mariners Predicted To Reunite With 2 Free Agent Stars In Offseason