Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across Major League Baseball. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in New York Yankees fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The Yankees are once again off to a nice start, something they’ve made a habit of in recent years. In both 2022 and 2024, the team came out red hot, building up a sizable division lead before cooling off and holding on down the stretch. This year, the Yankees will look to maintain consistency all year long. They have a nice 5.5-game lead in the AL East over a third of the way into the season, with the Blue Jays their closest competitor at the moment, which comes as a bit of a surprise during a year in which the Orioles and Red Sox were expected to be major American League contenders.
Hopefully, the Yankees dominate the rest of the way and take the division comfortably. But even if the Yankees maintain their level of play, they’ll have to keep an eye on their rivals. If you had to choose now, which AL East contender do you think profiles as the biggest obstacle?
As of now, the Jays have pole position among the rest of the division, though that could change fast, with the Rays just a game behind Toronto, and the Red Sox 3.5 games back. Each club has a fair case. The Jays have the best record in the pack. The Red Sox seem like the most talented on paper, with a number of stars on the roster and a loaded farm system on hand to supplement a theoretical playoff push. And the Rays are always hard to completely discount, with Tampa typically finding ways to remain in the hunt whatever happens. And hey, maybe part of the Orioles core that helped them win 103 games in 2023 can recapture that form to at least make a run, if not a mere return to respectability.
Which team scares you the most? Let us know, and we’ll report back the results later in the week.