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With the competition down the stretch between the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees last season, the American League East quickly became one of the more entertaining leagues in baseball. Unfortunately, the Boston Red Sox had a down year and the Tampa Bay Rays couldn't make one of their trademark runs. All that could change in 2013, and the entire league could be competitive. With that in mind, here are your American League East rumors and updates:
The Baltimore Orioles were rumored to have been interested in Arthur Rhodes, but now it seems the club will pass on him. Rhodes worked out for the Orioles, but sources in the organization told Roch Kubatko of MASN that the workout was purely a courtesy. Rhodes lives in the area and he comes with a lot of experience in the league. However, he did not play in 2012, so the Orioles may be hesitant to give him a real look.
Related: Blue Jays options at second; Maicer Izturis.
Considering the news that broke earlier today, Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com is probably right when he says it is unlikely that the Toronto Blue Jays will re-sign Brandon Lyon. Lyon has now been linked to the New York Mets who are expected to finalize a deal with him soon. Lyon played half the year last season with the Jays after being traded from the Houston Astros. He spent his first two Major League seasons with the Blue Jays as well.
The New York Yankees won the American League East last year, but if they want to continue to keep up with the ever-improving division, they will have to sign their best players long-term. This includes Robinson Cano. Wallace Matthews of ESPN New York thinks Cano will get the extension necessary to keep him in New York for a long time. Cano can become a free agent after this year, but as Matthews points out, the Yankees truly need him, and they have no reason not to sign him long-term.
