Roman Anthony, Giancarlo Stanton Headline Busy Day of AL East Injury News

Injuries are an inevitability in professional sports. But on Tuesday, several American League East teams shared injury updates that could impact the division's standings.

Roughly 35 games into the 2026 MLB season, the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays are first and second in the AL East, respectively, with both teams already over 20 wins. Then, the Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles, and Boston Red Sox are all at least three games under .500 to round out the current standings.

Here are the latest updates on some of the notable AL East players dealing with injuries right now.

New York Yankees: Ben Rice, Giancarlo Stanton, Carlos Rodón

May 1, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice (22) celebrates after hitting a three-run home run during the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Yankees first baseman Ben Rice has been one of the breakout stars from the early portion of the season, hitting .343 with 12 home runs and 27 RBIs in 33 games. But the 27-year-old is missing his second-straight game on Tuesday after exiting Sunday's contest with a left hand contusion. Rice "says his situation is improving" and "plans to swing a bat today to test it out," according to MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.

Giancarlo Stanton is another New York slugger who's dealing with an injury. The veteran was placed on the injured list toward the end of April due to a right calf strain. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Stanton's injury is "lingering," and he's "yet to resume running," according to Hoch.

On a more positive note for Yankees fans, left-handed pitcher Carlos Rodón is scheduled to make his final rehab start with the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders on Tuesday. The plan, according to Hoch, is for the southpaw to make his next appearance with the Yankees.

Tampa Bay Rays: Steven Matz

Apr 10, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Steven Matz throws a pitch during the first inning against the New York Yankees at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Pablo Robles-Imagn Images | Pablo Robles-Imagn Images

The Rays began May by announcing that right-handed pitcher Ryan Pepiot will undergo season-ending hip surgery. And now, Tampa Bay has lost another starting pitcher with left-hander Steven Matz being placed on the 15-day injured list due to left elbow inflammation.

The good news, though, is the team seemingly thinks this could be a "short stint" on the injured list, according to Rays sideline reporter Ryan Bass. Matz has a 3.86 ERA through his first seven starts of the year.

Boston Red Sox: Roman Anthony, Sonny Gray

Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony — May 1, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Roman Anthony (19) bats against the Houston Astros during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

The big news that has many Red Sox fans holding their breath involves outfielder Roman Anthony. The 21-year-old left Monday's game with right wrist discomfort and is not in Boston's lineup on Tuesday. Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said Anthony is dealing with a wrist sprain and is day-to-day, but there's "nothing imminent" in terms of a stint on the injured list.

While Boston fans will be anxiously waiting for more updates on their star outfielder, it sounds like veteran pitcher Sonny Gray could return to the Red Sox's rotation on Wednesday, according to MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo. The 36-year-old was placed on the injured list on April 21 due to a right hamstring strain.

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