Ranking the starting rotations in the American League East

It's clear the American League East will be chock-full of veteran pitchers this season, and with Opening Day just days away, there's no better time to see how the Blue Jays' rotation stands out against the rest of the division.

Here's how Toronto stacks up.

Ranking the starting rotations in the American League East

5. Boston Red Sox

While the Red Sox upgraded their starting rotation by acquiring ace Garrett Crochet from the White Sox in the offseason, but they're also going to start the season with Lucas Giolito, Brayan Bello, and Kutter Crawford on the injured list.

Boston will start the season with a rotation consisting of Crochet, Tanner Houck, and Walker Buehler, Richard Fitts and Sean Newcomb. Buehler is the x-factor, as he signed a one-year contract with Boston after winning a World Series with the Dodgers in 2024.

Boston's rotation had an impressive 3.81 ERA last year, and got off to a hot start with 105 strikeouts across the first 19 games of the season. But they should take a step back this year thanks to injuries and a lack of depth.

4. Tampa Bay Rays

The Rays have a chance to excel in 2025 with Shane McClanahan, Taj Bradley and Ryan Pepiot as the anchors at the top of their rotation. But injuries have already impacted that picture.

McClanahan, a two-time All-Star, seemed set for a big season after missing all of last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he'll start the season on the injured list with a tricep injury.

Pepiot will now slide into the No. 1 spot in Tampa's rotation, while Bradley will assume the role of the No. 2 starter. The rest of the rotation will be filled out by Drew Rasmussen, Shane Baz and Zack Littell.

Baz only made 14 starts last season as he recovered from Tommy John surgery and it remains unclear if he's able to take on a full workload, which complicates matters even more.

3. Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles lost a significant piece to their starting rotation in the offseason when Corbin Burnes signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks, but they still found a way to add some veteran leadership to the rotation in the form of veteran Charlie Morton. He will provide leadership for the younger starters in the rotation.

The rotation will be relying on Cade Povich to contribute more this season after he had a 5.20 ERA in 16 starts last season. He seemed to find his groove as the season went on, however, as he had a 2.60 ERA in September. He had a strong sping with a 3.07 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings.

The Orioles will go with Zach Eflin on Opening Day against the Blue Jays. It'll mark the second start year he's opened the season against the Blue Jays, as he did so last year while with the Rays.

The Orioles' pitching depth will be tested early thanks to Grayson Rodriguez starting the season on the injured list. Rodriguez has a history of injuries, and had to miss last year's postseason with a lat injury.

The middle of their rotation will consist of Dean Kremer and Tomoyuki Sugano.

2. Toronto Blue Jays

The 2025 Grapefruit League champions have a starting rotation that consists of four veterans and one promising arm in the form of Bowden Francis.

Francis earned a spot in the rotation with his late-season breakout performance in 2024. The 28-year-old was named the AL Pitcher of the Month in August after he had an ERA of 1.05 ERA with 39 strikeouts in 34 1/3 innings.

The Blue Jays rotation also includes José Berríos, Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer, who was brought in on a one-year contract.

Scherzer is a future Hall of Famer with two World Series wins on his résumé, and he'll be a valuable assest for the team's younger pitchers as the season goes on.

Scherzer fits in perfectly next to Gausman, Berríos, and Bassitt.

1. New York Yankees

The Yankees come into this season with one of the best rotations in all of baseball led by free agent acquitision Max Fried. Fried signed a $218 million contract with the Yankees in the offseason, which is the most money ever given to a left-handed pitcher in MLB history.

But the Yankees' rotation has also been hit by the injury bug, Luis Gil, Gerrit Cole, and Clarke Schmidt will all start the season on the injured list. Cole is out for the season after having Tommy John surgery, while Gil is on the 60-day IL with a lat injury that could keep him out until the middle of the summer.

Lastly, Schmidt will start the season on the IL with a shoulder injury, though the injury shouldn't keep him out for too long.

But even with those injuries, they still have Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, and Marcus Stroman at the top of their rotation. The final two spots of the rotation will be filled by prospect Will Warren and veteran Carlos Carrasco, who was in camp on a minor league deal.

Carrasco has impressed in camp with a 1.69 ERA across 16 innings with 15 strikeouts after having a tough 2024 with the Guardians, while Warren had 4.19 ERA with 19 strikeouts this spring.

The Yankees' rotation is a little thin at the bottom, but is still led by some solid arms.