How many New York Yankees are worthy of a spot on the All American League east team for 2020? While they’ll have the most there are also plenty of Red Sox.
The New York Yankees are heavy favorites to win their second straight American League East title in 2020.
While the Yankees might have the most talent in the division on paper, there are plenty of talented players on the other four squads that will make it difficult for New York to defend their division crown.
If the Yankees, Blue Jays, Orioles Rays and Red Sox joined forces which players would make a 26-man roster? We put it together.
Starting Infield:
Catcher: Gary Sanchez (New York Yankees)
1B: Trey Mancini (Baltimore Orioles)
2B: DJ LeMahieu (New York Yankees)
SS: Gleyber Torres (New York Yankees)
3B Rafel Devers (Boston Red Sox)
These picks are pretty simple. There aren’t too many great catchers in the AL East besides Gary Sanches, who’s a two-time all-star. The division also lacks a star first basemen, which is why underrated Orioles slugger Trey Mancini gets the nod.
DJ LeMahieu’s MVP caliber 2019 season earns him the nod at second base and Rafel Devers sensational 2019 and start to his carer get him the start at third.
The only big debate here is at shortstop between New York’s Gleyber Torres and Boston’s Xander Bogaerts.
Torres gets the nod for a few reasons. One is in each of the first two years of his carer; he’s been an all-star, and the second is the postseason success he had in 2019. While Bogaerts has been around longer and is also coming off an outstanding season where he hit .309 with 33 home runs and 117 RBI’s, Torres’ youth gets him the nod.
Don’t worry Sox fans, Bogaerts’ name is on this roster as well.
Starting Outfield:
RF: Mookie Betts (Boston Red Sox)
CF: Kevin Kiermaier (Tampa Bay Rays)
LF: Giancarlo Stanton (New York Yankees)
For Red Sox fans upset Torres was picked over Bogaerts at shortstop, here’s your “make up call.”
Mookie Betts earns the start over Aaron Judge in the right field because of his consistency.
Betts is a four-time all-star, four-time gold glove award winner and three-time silver slugger. He was MVP in 2018 after hitting .346 with 32 home runs. That season he also led Boston to a 119 total win season and world series championship.
While Judge has also been fantastic injuries, have kept him off the field for much of two of his first three big-league seasons, which is why Betts ultimately gets the nod.
Outside of Betts, Tampa’s Kevin Kiermaier gets the start in center. This spot likely would’ve gone to Aaron Hicks, but he will miss most of 2020 recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Lastly, in left field is Giancarlo Stanton. While 2019 was a lost season for the Yankees slugger, his resume that includes an MVP award and four all-star appearances earn him the start over Boston’s Andrew Benintendi.
Designated Hitter:
J.D. Martinez (Boston Red Sox) 3
It’s hard to find a better all-around hitter in baseball than Boston’s J.D. Martinez.
Martinez is a three-time all-star who played a huge role in helping Boston win the world series in 2018 as he hit .330 with 43 home runs and 133 RBI’s.
He followed that up with another big season in 2019 that saw him hit .304 with 36 home runs and drive in 105 RBI’s.
There’s really no debate here, Martinez is the obvious choice at DH and probably the number three spot in the lineup.
Bench:
Christian Vazquez, Catcher (Boston Red Sox)
Aaron Judge, OF (New York Yankees)
Austin Meadows, OF (Tampa Bay Rays)
Xander Bogaerts, IF (Boston Red Sox)
Gio Urshela (New York Yankees)
Starting Rotation:
- Gerrit Cole (New York Yankees)
- Chris Sale (Boston Red Sox)
- Charlie Morton (Tampa Bay Rays)
- Blake Snell (Tampa Bay Rays)
- Hyun Jin Ryu (Toronto Blue Jays)
The ace of the All AL East starting rotation is the division’s newest member Gerrit Cole who may just be the best pitcher in all of baseball right now.
Behind him are two former Cy-Young award winners in Chris Sale and Blake Snell and former Cy-young finalists Charlie Morton and Hyun Jin Ryu.
While Cole, Morton, and Snell are locks for the rotation, Sale earns a spot despite his rough 2019 due to his long track record of being one of baseball’s best arms. Thus, if healthy in 2019, there’s no reason he can’t return to his dominant form.
Ryu, who signed with Toronto this offseason, also gets a spot due to the numbers he’s put up when healthy. Last season before injury he posted a 2.32 ERA and started the all-star game for the National League.
Bullpen:
CL: Aroldis Chapman (New York Yankees)
8th: Zack Britton (New York Yankees)
7th: Adam Ottavino (New York Yankees)
MR: Brandon Workman (Boston Red Sox)
MR: Ken Giles (Toronto Blue Jays)
MR: Chad Green (New York Yankees
MR: Diego Castillo (Tampa Bay Rays)
To no one’s surprise, four out of seven members of the AL East bullpen come from New York. The Yankees back three is also the division’s late-inning crew while Chad Green earns a mid relief nod.
Outside of the three Yankees, Boston, closer Brandon Workman who posted a sub-two ERA in 2019 earns a spot along with former world series champion Ken Giles of the Blue Jays and Rays flame thrower Diego Castillo.
Here’s a team by team breakdown of the number of representatives from each American League East club.
Baltimore Orioles: 1
Boston Red Sox: 7
New York Yankees: 11
Tampa Bay Rays: 5
Toronto Blue Jays: 2