The Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles Battle for the AL East

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While it doesn’t look as though the Toronto Blue Jays will contend for the division title, that doesn’t mean the AL East lacks excitement. In fact, the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles are engaged in a good tussle to see who finishes atop.

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Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays Battle in AL East

With the league enjoying its All-Star break, Tampa Bay and Baltimore are practically deadlocked in a race for the AL East. The Rays, who had begun the season so brightly, are 58-35, whereas the Orioles are only two games back at 54-35.

Point blank question from Bastl to “Gibby”: Who wins the AL East?

The former head coach prefaces his answer with context.

“Remember at the beginning of the year? The Rays get off to this historic start, they’re the greatest team ever. But this is what happens in the regular season, you hit those bumps in the road.”

Gibbons showers praise onto Baltimore, admiring their talent but ultimately sides with the Tampa Bay Rays.

“I’m going on lean on the experience. There’s something about having been there.”

Regardless of which team claims the division, Gibbons shares an astute, larger point about the fun of such races, be it for division crowns or Wild Card spots. Fan interest is retained smack in the middle of the season when races are as close as they are this year, which is good for the league and the sport.

There is no question that both Tampa and Baltimore are stacked with talent. For the Rays, Yandy Diaz is third in the majors with a .323 batting average and starting pitcher Shane McClanahan already has 11 wins to his name. For the Orioles, left fielder Austin Hays is having a tremendous year (.314) Tyler Wells has earned a solid 3.18 ERA through 104 innings of work.