AL East Notes: A-Rod hits 689, Red Sox rotation, Sanchez emerging

Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez hit career home run #689 on Sunday, snapping an 0-for-19 skid that was just two outs shy of tying A-Rod's two longest hitting droughts in his career.  Despite belting the home run and giving Masahiro Tanaka a lift in the victory over the Mariners, there are still questions about A-Rod's ability to hit for a full season.

The 40-year-old will turn 41 during the season, and his prolonged slump to start the season has left many wondering if he will be able to look anything like the 33 home run comeback season he had last year.

More news from around the American League East:

• Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald outlined some what-if plans to give the Red Sox rotation a boost, including making a trade for a big name starter.
• Aaron Sanchez is quickly emerging as a force in the Blue Jays rotation, and making the idea that he should have started the year in the rotation pretty laughable.
• The Rays installed extra netting in the area behind home plate on Saturday, just one day after a 63-year-old woman was struck near her eye with a foal ball off the bat of Steven Souza Jr.
• Could Mark Trumbo be the Orioles' new version of Nelson Cruz? His hot start could suggested that. He has opened the first ten games of the season with five home runs and 11 RBI's and became the first Oriole to hit two home runs in the same inning on Friday.