Five thoughts on AL East: Red Sox Cooked? Blue Jays, Orioles Star Power Outage

The American League East typically is one of the best overall divisions in baseball, but like the rest of the American League, there have been struggles so far this season.

The American League East does have two of the four teams above .500 right now in the American League in the New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays. But the AL East also have arguably the biggest disappointment in the American League in the Boston Red Sox and some serious question marks with the Baltimore Orioles and the Toronto Blue Jays.

When you think about the American League, the AL East is the first division that comes to mind in large part because of the historic franchises in it. Last year, the Blue Jays, Yankees and Red Sox all made the playoffs and Toronto advanced all the way to Game 7 of the World Series.

It's been an interesting season so far this season, to say the least. Here's one though on each team in the AL East.

Tampa Bay Rays: Pitching Capital, USA

May 10, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Nick Martinez (28) pitches during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

The Rays shouldn't be as elite as they are. Tampa Bay is 28th in the league with a tax payroll just over $108 million. But the Rays just play the game the right way. They pitch very well, get guys on base, steal bases, move guys along and win games at all costs, even if it isn't pretty.

Nick Martinez is the perfect example of this. He had a 4.45 ERA with the San Diego Padres last year in 40 appearances, including 26 starts. This season, he has a 1.51 ERA in nine starts. Tampa Bay has five hurlers with four or more starts and a 3.91 or lower ERA.

Boston Red Sox: The Talent Doesn't Align With The Results

iMay 3, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox designated hitter Roman Anthony (19) warms-up before batting against the Houston Astros during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Boston has one of the worst offenses in baseball. Boston is 29th in runs scored (167), 29th in homers (33), and 22nd in team batting average (.235). When you have guys like Roman Anthony, Willson Contreras, Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Marcelo Mayer and Trevor Story, you should be able to have at least a league-average offense. Anthony is on the Injured List, but the club was already struggling before he went down. Boston fired Alex Cora and a handful of coaches, but things haven't changed. Is there an organizational issue when it comes to offensive strategy? It would appear so.

New York Yankees: They Will Be Just Fine Despite Skid

May 16, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) runs home in the seventh inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Yankees are 3-7 over their last 10 games, but don't read too much into it. It's a 162-game season and every team will have cold spells. New York is going to be just fine. The Yankees arguably are the best overall team in the American League and don't even have Gerrit Cole back yet. New York should be able to make a deep run this year.

Toronto Blue Jays: What's Wrong With Vladimir Guerrero Jr.?

May 16, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) receives congratulations from teammates after scoring tenth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has gotten on base at a high clip. He's slashing .286/.373/.381 with a .754 OPS. But he has just three homers and 20 RBIs in 46 games played. That's unlike him. This is a guy who led the league with 48 homers back in 2021 but is now struggling to hit the ball out of the ballpark. He did hit his third homer of the season on Sunday, but he has just 10 extra-base hits in general this year. The Blue Jays won't be able to make much noise this year if Guerrero isn't carrying the load because of all the injuries elsewhere.

Baltimore Orioles: Where Is Pete Alonso?

May 12, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso (25) looks on during the eighth inning against the New York Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Like Guerrero with the Blue Jays, the Orioles need Alonso to step up from a power perspective. This is a guy who has been one of the best sluggers in recent memory dating back to 2019. He had 38 homers last year and hasn't finished a season with fewer than 34 homers in a full season, not counting the shortened 2020 campaign. Alonso has eight homers in 47 games. That's a pace of 27.5 homers. The Orioles need a bit more.

Add us as a preferred source on Google