TAMPA, Fla. — The strongest division in baseball history — one through four, anyway — looks daunting again. Four American League East teams earned more than 90 victories last season, a first for divisional play, which dates to 1969. Now the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays are back for more.
“Whoa — pack a lunch, baby,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said in his office at Steinbrenner Field recently. Then Boone turned impish: “Well, it sounds like we’re all fighting for second. Sounds like the Blue Jays are just …”
He trailed off, but the point was clear: The Yankees have noticed that Toronto — anecdotally, at least — has been prematurely crowned as the favorite.