Quick takeaway: AL East, March 14–22, 2026—team by team below. We report what happened, then what it might mean for who plays.
Last updated: March 22, 2026. Ledger: MLB.com transactions.
The 2026 World Baseball Classic ended March 18, so camps are busy—options, reassignments, and bullpen tryouts almost every day.
Baltimore Orioles
Per Birds Watcher’s read on the cuts, Baltimore optioned Cade Povich, which sharpens the picture of whether he breaks as a starter or gets early relief work. The Orioles are still carving out bench bats and backup catcher as camp thins; how they use the last spots will decide who actually gets plate appearances in April, not who had a hot week in Sarasota.
Boston Red Sox
MassLive reported a batch of spring cuts as Boston cleared names off the big-league side of camp and opened room on the infield mix—framing the story around how the club might fold in a trade addition before Opening Day. The takeaway for readers: this week was less about one headline name and more about flexibility; watch who actually makes the trip north and whether the middle infield and corners settle or stay fluid through the last week of March.
New York Yankees
Gerrit Cole faced hitters in a game again: March 17, one scoreless inning, fastball sitting near 97 mph, first spring outing since Tommy John (our full story). That matters because it is a real rehab checkpoint, not a fantasy that he will carry the April rotation—our earlier reporting still points to a late May / early June big-league return if all goes well. Elsewhere in camp, bench and bullpen slots are still moving; the story is depth and leverage behind the headline names.
Tampa Bay Rays
MLB.com’s running Rays notebook captured March 17–20 churn—send-downs and options including names like Palacios, Malloy, and Boyle, plus Taylor Walls on the injured list. Tampa Bay’s roster is never “set” on paper the way other clubs pretend; they mix and match. If you are tracking playing time, follow who survives the last cuts more than Cactus League OPS.
Toronto Blue Jays
José Berríos is the week’s AL East earthquake: a stress fracture in his right elbow surfaced after WBC physicals (March 18), and the club has ruled him out for Opening Day with no fixed return (our write-up). Rotation order and innings have to be rethought—someone in the “next man up” tier gets a real shot. Separately, The Big Lead noted camp reassignments (including Josh Kasevich), the kind of moves that trim the bench picture before the last calls.
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About this series: Six posts cover the same spring window (March 14–22, 2026). Each post is one division: cuts, injuries, trades, claims—anything that moves the Opening Day picture. Not a full off-season recap.
Facts: MLB.com transactions. Rosters change fast—verify names and dates there or on the team site. We refresh about weekly until Opening Day.
Other division roundups:
Related on AthX: 2026 World Baseball Classic recap · Dynamic pricing explained · How MLB shares work on AthX · Marketplace
*We write these posts on a March 2026 timeline. If you read news elsewhere, check the article date.*
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