By the time Corey Kluber finished off the Yankees’ first no-hitter since 1999, the Red Sox powered their way past the Blue Jays and the Rays roared back to beat the Orioles on Wednesday night, the American League East was exactly as you’d expect it to be: close and competitive.
The Red Sox still led the division when play began on Thursday, but the difference between first and fourth in the AL East was only 1 1/2 games. No team has been hotter than Tampa Bay, winners of six straight and 12 of 16, yet Toronto and New York aren’t far behind.
That’s what we know about the AL East. What don’t we know? What might we learn between the quarter mark of the season and the All-Star break? And how might the answers affect what looks like another tightly contested division race in the making?
Here’s one looming question each AL East club must address between now and the Midsummer Classic.
Blue Jays: When is it time for Alek Manoah?
When the Blue Jays opened camp, it seemed sensible that No. 5 prospect Alek Manoah would spend the full season in the Minor Leagues, potentially opening in Double-A and working his way up to Triple-A after the lost season. Every time he’s taken the mound, he’s accelerated that timeline.
Manoah was dominant in Spring Training, earned an aggressive assignment to Triple-A and opened his season by striking out 12 over six shutout innings. Not bad. He represents such a difficult decision for the Blue Jays, though, because of how little experience he has in the Minor Leagues. A traditional timeline would call for plenty more development, but what if Manoah continues to push the envelope like he has been?
No. 1 prospect Nate Pearson has already dealt with injury and a demotion back to Triple-A after making one MLB start, but the spotlight remains on Manoah. Steven Matz and Robbie Ray have both enjoyed hot stretches in the MLB rotation, while Hyun Jin Ryu has been excellent, but the Blue Jays are still in need of upside from their starters. Manoah can provide that, and if he carries on with this hot start, he could force the Blue Jays’ hand far sooner than anyone expected. -- Keegan Matheson
Orioles: Which prospects deserve promotions?
The Orioles believe they were hurt by the pandemic as much as any other team, given the cancellation of the 2020 Minor League season and their long-term focus on drafting and development. This summer will go a long way toward determining just how much they were impacted on the development side -- and how close their top prospects are to the Majors after enduring what was essentially a gap year.
How does Adley Rutschman fare at Double-A, with less than a full season of pro ball under his belt? Is Jordan Westburg too advanced for Low-A Delmarva? Is 19-year-old Gunnar Henderson? How much does DL Hall have left to prove? Can Heston Kjerstad get on the field at all?
All those questions dovetail with the original question, and create a larger one: Is this the year the Orioles’ rebuilding project turns a corner? -- Joe Trezza
Rays: When will they call the cavalry?
The way the Rays are playing right now, they don’t look like they need much help. They’re seeing the deep and dynamic lineup they expected, with contributions coming from all over. They have so many quality starting options that they’re essentially working with a six-man rotation. Their bullpen has been quite (and quietly) effective, and they’ll get more help off the injured list by midseason.
But everyone wants to know when Wander Franco will join the Rays. And it’s not just Franco, despite all the attention the No. 1 prospect gets. Vidal Bruján has been sensational in Triple-A and might get called up before Franco due to his defensive versatility, his speed and his spot on the 40-man roster. Slick-fielding shortstop Taylor Walls and athletic outfielder Josh Lowe, both on the 40-man roster, are also playing well for Durham.
It’s hard to see any of them getting the call before mid-to-late June, maybe even early July, barring injuries. But what happens if the Rays roll into the All-Star break with no glaring holes in their lineup while their prospects are tearing up Triple-A? It could force general manager Erik Neander to make some interesting decisions before the Trade Deadline. Then again, having a bunch of talented prospects pushing to crack a talented big league roster is what you’d call a good problem for the defending AL champions. -- Adam Berry
Red Sox: What’s the bridge to Barnes?
While the Red Sox have been in first place in the AL East for much of the season, there is a big issue that hovers over whether their strong start to the season is sustainable. The Sox need to sturdy the bridge to dominant closer Matt Barnes.
The team had high hopes for veteran righty Adam Ottavino to be the lead setup man after acquiring him from the Yankees back in December, but he’s been inconsistent. The same has been true for promising but erratic lefty Darwinzon Herandnez, who was expected to a lot of high-leverage setup opportunities. One thing that would help greatly is the return to health of righty setup man Ryan Brasier, who hasn’t thrown a pitch yet this season due to a left calf strain.
Even if Ottavino and Hernandez improve and Brasier makes a strong return, Chaim Bloom will likely need to address the bullpen prior to the Trade Deadline. -- Ian Browne
Yankees: Where are the sticks?
There were legitimate concerns about the Yankees’ roster coming into the season, but putting crooked numbers on the scoreboard was not supposed to be one of them.
Though offense is down throughout the Majors, it has been striking to see the Bombers hover near the bottom of the AL in several categories, including runs scored. Their pitching has kept them afloat while several regulars have struggled mightily, with Gleyber Torres, Aaron Hicks, Clint Frazier and Brett Gardner all owning OPS+ marks below league average. Even DJ LeMahieu, last year’s Major League batting champion, has been a tick below the lofty performance levels that he set for himself in his first two pinstriped seasons.
On the positive side, their homer and walk rates are among the AL’s best. Stringing together a few more hits, as they did in a five-run inning on Tuesday, was a welcome development. -- Bryan Hoch