The weekend is over and that means we get to see where the AL East teams are in the standings starting this week.
TAMPA BAY RAYS
The series against the Tigers continued as Luis Patino went six innings and gave four runs. Ji-Man Choi went 2-for-4. Brett Phillips hit his 13th home run which was the game winning hit. The Rays won 7-4.
An electric trip around the bases! (MLB x @SportClips) pic.twitter.com/bCZXLduJc5 — MLB (@MLB) September 18, 2021
Ryan Yarbrough went six innings and gave up four runs. Manuel Margot went 3-for-3. Jordan Luplow went 2-for-2 and hit his 11th home run. The Rays lost to the Tigers 4-3.
Shane McClanahan went five innings and gave up one run. Mike Zunino went 3-for-3. The Rays lost 2-0.
The Jays come into town this week. Shane Baz, Drew Rasmussen, and Michael Wacha are scheduled to pitch.
BOSTON RED SOX
Chris Sale returned from the COVID-IL to pitch against the Orioles. He went five innings and gave up one run. J.D. Martinez went 1-for-4. Christian Vazquez went 2-for-4. Alex Verdugo went 3-for-4. Matt Barnes also returned from the COVID-IL and pitched a scoreless inning. The Sox won 7-1.
Nick Pivetta went 3.2 innings and gave up three runs. Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers went 3-for-5. Bogaerts hit his 22nd home run. Bobby Dalbec went 2-for-3. The Sox won 9-3.
Nathan Eovaldi lasted five innings and gave up three runs. He also had eight strikeouts and let me tell you, seeing those strikeouts in person is fun. Martinez hit his 27th home run. Devers and Hunter Renfroe went 2-for-4. Enrique Hernandez went 2-for-3. The Sox won 8-6.
🔥 𝙉 𝘼 𝙏 𝙀 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Ag5QUMyPhv — Red Sox (@RedSox) September 19, 2021
After today’s off day, the Mets come to Fenway for two games. Eduardo Rodriguez is scheduled to pitch Tuesday night’s game.
NEW YORK YANKEES
Corey Kluber faced his former team, the Indians/Guardians, on Friday. He threw six scoreless innings. Joey Gallo went 3-for-4 and hit two home runs in the game. Aaron Judge went 2-for-4 and hit his 35th home run. Gio Urshela went 2-for-4. Brett Gardner hit his 9th home run and Giancarlo Stanton hit his 29th. The Yanks won 8-0.
Liftoff under the lights 💪 pic.twitter.com/yA6q0zQZag — New York Yankees (@Yankees) September 18, 2021
Luis Gil pitched 4.1 innings and gave up 3 runs, 2 earned. Albert Abreu gave up 5 runs in the 0.2 innings pitched. Stanton hit his 30th. Gary Sanchez went 2-for-4. Luke Voit hit his 11th home run. The Yankees lost 11-3.
Gerrit Cole didn’t pitch like the ace he is. He lasted 5.2 innings and gave up seven runs. Urshela hit his 13th home run. Anthony Rizzo and DJ LeMahieu went 2-for-4. The Yanks lost 11-1.
The next series is against the Rangers. Nestor Cortes Jr, Jordan Montgomery, and Corey Kluber are scheduled to pitch. The Yankees need to start playing like the team they were during the 13 game winning streak if they want a wild card game.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS
Hyun Jin Ryu started against the Twins. He went only two innings and gave up five runs. Vladimir Guerrero Jr hit his 46th home run. Corey Dickerson went 2-for-4. The Jays lost 7-3.
Steven Matz went 5.2 innings and gave up 2 runs. Bo Bichette went 3-for-4. Marcus Semien hit his 40th home run and Teoscar Hernandez hit his 28th home run. The Jays won 6-2.
Jose Berrios went 6.2 innings and gave up three runs. Bichette hit his 26th home run. Guerrero Jr went 3-for-4. Lourdes Gurriel Jr went 2-for-4. The Jays won 5-3.
Keep. The. Line. Moving. That's a FIVE-run first inning 🔥 pic.twitter.com/CBJVBZ8wKR — Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) September 19, 2021
Next stop for the Jays is Tropicana Field. Robbie Ray and Alek Manoah are scheduled to pitch.
BALTIMORE ORIOLES
The O’s sent Keegan Akin on the mound to face the Red Sox. He lasted four innings and gave up four runs. Austin Hays hit his 21st home run. Cedric Mullins went 1-for-4. The O’s lost 7-1.
Zac Lowther lasted 3.2 innings and gave up three runs. Ryan Mountcastle went 2-for-4 and hit his 30th home run. Mullins went 2-for-4. The O’s lost 9-3.
Alexander Wells went five innings and gave up five runs. Mountcastle went 2-for-3. Trey Mancini returned to the lineup and went 1-for-4. The O’s tied it at 6 but ended up losing 8-6.
The O’s head to Philadelphia for three games against the Phillies. John Means is scheduled to pitch.
STANDINGS
The Yankees dig their hole for a wild card spot a little deeper in losing the series against the Indians. The Jays remain hot for now. The Red Sox look to continue to keep the top wild card spot. A couple of weeks left of the regular season. It should be an exciting one.