Memorial Day Benchmark: How is the AL East looking?

Memorial Day generally serves as a test for MLB teams as the first benchmark of the long MLB Season. It's a time to see how teams are doing through the first quarter of the season. Let's take a dive into the AL East and what was supposed to be the toughest division in Baseball and see how the AL East is looking on this Memorial Day.

AL East Standings (As of May 26th, 2025 11:22am)

New York Yankees

The Good:

The Yankees have one of the top offenses in baseball. Many expected them to take a step back offensively in 2025, but that hasn’t been the case. Aaron Judge has been on another level, batting close to .400 and reaching base in half of his plate appearances.

Unexpected contributions from Ben Rice and Paul Goldschmidt have added depth, while Trent Grisham has also exceeded expectations — though he's cooled off over the past 15 games. That’s baseball.

Fans have been quick to react to Cody Bellinger’s early struggles, but he’s been scorching hot over the past month, forcing pitchers to think twice before pitching around Judge in key moments.

Jasson Dominguez has also performed well for most of the season. His numbers from the left side are stronger, though his recent at-bats as a right-handed hitter have shown improvement.

Dominguez has also shown a knack for clutch hitting this season, delivering several game-winning hits in the seventh inning or later — including a walk-off home run this past week.

The starting rotation appears to have stabilized, taking just one loss over the past two weeks. Max Fried and Carlos Rodón have been outstanding, and rookie Will Warren has shown noticeable improvement over his last four starts.

Luke Weaver has been nearly untouchable as the Yankees’ closer in 2025. While Sunday and Monday were a bit shaky, he remains a reliable presence at the back end of the bullpen, often locking down wins when called upon. Devin Williams has also started to look more like his usual self in the eighth inning, with no indication he’ll be moved from that role.

The Bad:

The Yankees’ bullpen has shown some inconsistency. Ian Hamilton hasn’t looked like the pitcher he was in previous seasons, and it’s been noticeable. Tim Hill has also struggled recently, contributing to a few losses. His usage has raised questions among Yankees fans.

The good news: reinforcements are on the way, with Clayton Beeter, Scott Effross, J.T. Brubaker and Jake Cousins all working their way back from injury.

Tampa Bay Rays:

The Good:

The Rays’ starting pitching has been solid in 2025, led by Drew Rasmussen, who is increasingly looking like the team’s ace. Rasmussen owns a 2.60 ERA through 10 starts, and Tampa Bay has a strong chance to win whenever he’s on the mound.

The Rays are riding a five-game winning streak after sweeping division rival Toronto in blowout fashion Sunday. They’ve had several impressive streaks this season, positioning themselves as a potentially dangerous team down the stretch.

Tampa Bay also continues to benefit from a strong farm system, ranked second in baseball. One of their top prospects, shortstop Carson Williams — MLB Pipeline’s No. 9 overall — has struggled at Triple-A this year but has shown signs of turning things around in recent weeks.

The Bad:

The Rays’ offense has been inconsistent throughout the 2025 season. One of their key contributors, Brandon Lowe, has struggled, batting .223 with an OPS under .650. If Lowe and a few other bats can heat up, the Rays could become a dangerous team.

They’ve also had trouble at their temporary home, George M. Steinbrenner Field, where they are 16-18 this season. On the road, however, they’re 14-11. The good news for Tampa Bay: they’ll spend much of the second half away from home, as the Florida summer brings frequent afternoon and evening rain.

Boston Red Sox:

The Good:

Boston’s offense has been solid in 2025, ranking seventh in MLB and fourth in the American League. However, that production may take a hit with Alex Bregman heading to the injured list with quad tightness.

Rafael Devers has put himself in the American League MVP conversation, hitting like an All-Star with two grand slams and two walk-off hits — including a home run — during the past homestand. He’s batting .363 over his last 30 games and is swinging so well that opposing managers might think twice before pitching to him in key situations.

The Red Sox also have a wave of young prospects nearing big league readiness, headlined by Roman Anthony, who remains with Triple-A Worcester. In the wake of Alex Bregman’s injury, Boston called up Marcelo Mayer, MLB Pipeline’s No. 8 overall prospect.

Garrett Crochet has lived up to his potential since being traded to the Red Sox this past offseason and signing an extension in March. He is 4-3 with a 1.98 ERA and 78 strikeouts so far in the 2025 season, firmly establishing himself as the ace of the Red Sox pitching staff.

The Bad:

The Red Sox are tied with the Dodgers, Athletics and Diamondbacks for the major league lead in blown saves, with 11 so far this season. The issue hasn’t stemmed from Aroldis Chapman, who has only two blown saves, but rather from the bullpen as a whole. While the relief corps has shown improvement over the past week, it remains a likely area of focus at the trade deadline.

Boston entered the 2025 season with high expectations, aiming to contend for the American League East title and a World Series run. So far, the team hasn’t lived up to those expectations. Early on, it seemed the 13 head-to-head matchups with the Yankees might decide the division, but that outlook is less certain given Boston’s inconsistent play. It’s still early — but it’s getting late quickly.

Defensively, the Red Sox have also struggled, ranking 29th out of 30 teams in errors per game at 0.78, according to TeamRankings.com. Those extra outs have proven costly in several losses — including a miscue-filled sequence this past Sunday:

The Red Sox have dealt with several off-field distractions this season. One of the most notable came in spring training, when Rafael Devers initially resisted moving off third base. He ultimately shifted to designated hitter, where he has thrived. However, following an injury to first baseman Triston Casas, the team asked Devers to move to first base — a request he declined. The situation escalated to the point that owner John Henry and other top executives flew to Kansas City to meet with Devers and discuss the matter.

Another distraction surfaced this past week when reliever Liam Hendriks publicly criticized his limited usage in 2025. He expressed frustration over being the last option in the bullpen and emphasized the need for consistent reps to be effective. The comments raised questions about team leadership, as internal concerns spilled into the media.

If the Red Sox hope to turn their season around, they’ll need to refocus their attention on the field and minimize off-field issues moving forward.

Toronto Blue Jays:

The Good:

The Blue Jays are getting offensive production from their big two — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette. Guerrero Jr. leads the team in several categories, including batting average (.273), home runs (7) and on-base percentage (.382). Bichette leads in hits (61) and RBIs (25).

Anthony Santander, a major offseason acquisition, has started to show signs of improvement over the past 15 games following a slow start in March and April. However, his numbers still fall short of the expectations Toronto had when they signed him.

The bullpen has featured some dependable arms in 2025. Rookie Mason Fluharty has posted a 3.86 ERA over 21 innings, while Yimi García has been effective as well, with a 3.15 ERA across 21 innings before landing on the injured list with a right shoulder impingement.

The Bad:

The Blue Jays have struggled with consistency throughout the 2025 season. This past week was a prime example: after sweeping the San Diego Padres at Rogers Centre — capped by a walk-off RBI single on Thursday — Toronto traveled to George M. Steinbrenner Field and was swept by the Rays, including a 13-0 loss in the series finale. These types of up-and-down performances against beatable opponents raise questions about the team’s ability to make a sustained run.

While parts of the bullpen have been a strength, others have faltered and contributed to several losses. The Blue Jays signed Jeff Hoffman in the offseason to stabilize the back end of the bullpen. Hoffman has recorded 10 saves with three blown opportunities, but he’s allowed 15 earned runs in 22 innings, posting a 6.04 ERA — far from ideal production from a closer.

Toronto has also struggled with runners in scoring position and ranks near the bottom of the American League in clutch hitting, making late-game comebacks difficult. The bottom of the lineup has offered minimal production, placing even more pressure on Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette to carry the offense.

Baltimore Orioles:

The Good:

There hasn’t been much to celebrate for the Orioles in 2025. One bright spot is star infielder Gunnar Henderson, who is putting together another solid season after a delayed start due to a spring training injury. Ryan O’Hearn has also been a consistent presence at the plate, batting .333 so far this year.

Another positive for the club: Camden Yards remains one of the most beloved ballparks in baseball, with a loyal fan base continuing to show up despite the team’s struggles.

The Bad:

Offensively, the Orioles have struggled mightily in 2025. Their inability to mount comebacks has made for frustrating viewing. Over the weekend, they split a four-game series with the Red Sox at Fenway Park — despite leading in all four games. The offense failed to tack on insurance runs, routinely allowing opponents to climb back into games.

Injuries have gutted what was expected to be a strong starting rotation. The current group ranks 29th in MLB, ahead of only the Rockies. Zach Eflin recently returned from the injured list but has yet to regain his form. Charlie Morton was ineffective in the first month and was moved to the bullpen, replaced by Kyle Gibson, who performed even worse and was designated for assignment. The lone bright spot has been Tomoko Sugano, who has battled issues with home runs but has been otherwise solid.

The bullpen has also been a major weakness. Friday’s game in Boston illustrated the problem: with a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning, the Orioles turned to Seranthony Domínguez, who gave up four runs. Gregory Soto entered with two on and one out and surrendered a three-run homer to Rafael Devers, quickly turning the game into a 6-2 deficit. The bullpen collapse continued as Cionel Pérez — who was designated for assignment Monday — and Emmanuel Rivera struggled, resulting in a 19-5 loss. This was not an isolated incident, but rather a snapshot of the Orioles’ bullpen woes this season. No lead appears safe.

In response to the ongoing struggles, the Orioles fired manager Brandon Hyde.

It doesn’t appear that Brandon Hyde was the root of the Orioles’ issues — at least from the outside. He seemed to be respected in the clubhouse, and players appeared to respond well to him. It’s unfortunate he was let go while the team’s struggles largely stemmed from underperformance on the field. Since his dismissal, the Orioles have gone 3-6 under their new manager.

The American League East entered the 2025 season with high expectations and was projected to be one of the strongest divisions in baseball. However, through the first quarter of the season, it has been one of the more disappointing, with only one team — the Yankees — posting a record above .500. There’s still plenty of baseball left to play, and time for teams in the division to turn things around.