AL East Preview: Yankees and Orioles are still talented, but the race at the top could be tighter
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, left, takes off running during a spring training baseball workout Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Chris O'Meara]
Juan Soto and Corbin Burnes are gone from the division. The Yankees and Orioles can certainly succeed without them, but the AL East seems noticeably tougher to predict this year. In 2023, Baltimore and Tampa Bay won 101 and 99 games, with the rest of the division another 10 games behind. Last year, New York and Baltimore won 94 and 91. It was again another 10 games back to third place. It would not be a surprise if the top teams were a lot more bunched together this season. You can make a case for any number of outcomes for the order of finish.
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