Rays one win from AL pennant — AL East roundup

The Tampa Bay Rays moved within striking distance of the American League pennant on Sunday. They were the only AL East club in action and took care of business, beating the Cleveland Guardians 3-1 to grab a 3-2 lead in the AL Championship Series.

Rays: Rasmussen leads the way as Tampa Bay pulls ahead

As reported by La Presse, starter Drew Rasmussen allowed only one run over seven innings in the 3-1 victory, putting the Guardians on the brink of elimination. The outing underscored why the Rays, who finished the regular season atop the AL East at 98-64, remain in control of the league’s playoff picture.

With a 3-2 edge in the series, Tampa Bay now sits one win away from an AL title and a World Series berth, leaning once again on a pitching staff that has carried them through a tight matchup with Cleveland.

Yankees: bullpen under the microscope

For the 93-68 New York Yankees, MLB Trade Rumors focused on how the club built its bullpen. The site notes that the Yankees did relatively little to upgrade the relief corps last winter, adding veteran Ryan Yarbrough on a modest deal and trading with the Colorado Rockies for Angel Chivilli. David Bednar returned as closer after being acquired at the 2025 trade deadline, while the club was losing Devin Williams.

In a separate piece, MLB Trade Rumors cites the New York Post in reporting that the Yankees have "long eyed" San Diego Padres right-hander Jeremiah Estrada, though it isn’t clear when or how aggressively New York may have pursued him.

Blue Jays: a missed August turning point

MLB Trade Rumors also revisited a key moment in the Toronto Blue Jays’ season. On August 2, a 5-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals dropped Toronto to 52-60 — the kind of record that usually pushes a team toward selling at the trade deadline. According to the site, the Blue Jays’ situation was more complicated, as they came within two outs of winning that game instead.

The Blue Jays finished the year at 79-83, while the Baltimore Orioles (79-82) and Boston Red Sox (87-75) were idle Sunday. For now, the AL East spotlight stays firmly on the Rays, with the Yankees and Jays already looking ahead to how they can close the gap in 2027.