Two AL East Powerhouses Have Left Door Open for Rays With Quiet Offseasons So Far

Which teams from the AL East have yet to try and separate themselves from the Tampa Bay Rays?

Oct 7, 2021; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays general manager Erik Neander before game one of the 2021 ALDS at Tropicana Field. | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

With the new year here for the Tampa Bay Rays, the franchise will be focused on making some more improvements this offseason and getting ready for 2026. However, some of the other teams in the division have been shockingly quiet. 

It has been a reasonably busy offseason so far for the Rays. This is a team that has made some nice additions but has also dealt away talent. In typical Tampa Bay fashion, they can be both buyers and sellers at the same time, and that creative mindset works for them. 

However, while the team is always thinking about the future, they are hoping to make the playoffs once again in 2026. For the last two seasons, Tampa Bay has been unable to reach the postseason, and that is something they would like to change. 

Unfortunately for the Rays, they play in one of the most challenging divisions in baseball. The American League East sent three teams to the playoffs in 2025, and it is trending toward being able to do that again. The Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles have taken some significant steps forward, but there are still two teams lurking as the offseason continues.

Two AL East Powerhouses Have Yet to Pull Away

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With some of the best free agents still on the market that are fits for both the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, both have been mostly quiet so far this winter. Each of these teams was in the postseason in 2025, and that will be their goal going forward. 

For the Red Sox, their main priority is seemingly to keep star third baseman Alex Bregman. The talented slugger was a key part of their success in 2025, and bringing him back would be ideal. 

The Yankees have a need in their outfield that either Cody Bellinger or Kyle Tucker would fill. However, New York has been a little bit hesitant to spend and go over certain thresholds.

Even though they have both been quiet so far, they are still outstanding teams right now. However, their lack of moves has left the door open a bit for Tampa Bay in the division as of now. While the Rays can’t keep up with the rest of the AL East, that hasn’t kept them from being able to compete. 

Both New York and Boston’s offseasons will have to be continuously monitored, but their lack of moves is good news for Tampa Bay as of now.