3 way-too-early AL East overreactions that could affect Yankees

The New York Yankees began 2023 with a series win against the San Francisco Giants, shutting out their opponent twice within their first three games of a season for the first time ... ever.

The middle game? Uh ... pass. Next question. But so far, there's been plenty to like about the Yankees' staff, and some offensive players have popped, too.

So where do they rank relative to the rest of the division? What do we know so far? What can we pick from the embers of Opening Weekend, when anything goes and nothing can really be learned for good ... though Lord knows we try to draw conclusions?

Do the Toronto Blue Jays look like the Yankees' closest competitors/AL East favorites? Not quite. Do the Red Sox look like the bottom of the division? We'd say no. And does anyone know who the f*** put these "balanced schedules" together, which allowed the Sox to start Baltimore/Pittsburgh/Detroit, while the Rays go Detroit/Washington/Oakland? Come on now.

Acknowledging that we don't know anything yet, these three early overreactions could create a bit of intrigue in the division.

3 AL East overreactions Yankees should keep an eye out for

Did pitch clock kill Chris Bassitt?

It's certainly too early to judge the Toronto Blue Jays' signing of finesse pitcher Chris Bassitt, who thrives on messing with hitters' timing, immediately before MLB installed rules meant to standardize pitchers' timing.

That said, whenever the Toronto Sun is calling your debut an "abomination," it's worth pointing out.

Bassitt's start in the Jays' series finale in St. Louis featured 10 hits and nine earned runs in 3.1 innings, along with zero strikeouts. Hey, no walks, though! That's something.

After one series, the Cardinals' offense is MLB's gold standard, posting a ridiculous 202 wRC+. How much of that is Toronto's pitching? Literally impossible to say, and the Cards breaking out wouldn't stun any prognosticator, led by Jordan Walker's emergence.

But, knowing what we know about how Bassitt works, he'll be under the microscope until he posts a solid start.

Toronto was lucky to escape The Lou without being swept; if not for an Andrew Knizner dropped third strike (in relief of Willson Contreras) on Opening Day, they might've lost that slugfest, too. A road set with the punch-free Royals should be just what the Canadian doctor ordered to get the Jays back on track.

Orioles should've supplemented their young core in free agency (that pitching ... woof)

Nobody should be shocked by the Boston Red Sox teeing off, given three sloppy-weather Fenway Park home games to start off the campaign. Nine runs in all three of their games against the Orioles to start things off, though, becoming the third team in MLB history to reach that plateau? Yeah. Little surprising, though it would've been only seven runs in Game 2 if O's outfielder Ryan McKenna knew how to catch the final out. But not outright stunning. The Sox can bash.

But ... can the Orioles hang on the mound?

Opening Day starter Kyle Gibson was this team's major free agent addition after a resurgent 2022 season, spurred by a young core that was arriving all at once, and he held things together on Thursday (before the bullpen hung on for dear life). But wasn't the time for the Orioles to act now? They couldn't have been players for Carlos Correa, with ex-Astros front office members Mike Elias and Sig Mejdal currently leading their efforts? They couldn't have chased Carlos Rodón (or Taijuan Walker, or Nathan Eovaldi, or Jameson Taillon ...), considering how few pitching prospects they have at the upper levels of their farm? Beyond Grayson Rodriguez, it's mostly offense down there.

The waves of bashing Orioles bats should continue to arrive in the years to come, from Jackson Holliday to Colton Cowser to Heston Kjerstad. But without arms in reserve, they should've added some high-upside free agent firepower this offseason. Now, they're limping out of Boston looking like a lesser team than last year, which shouldn't happen.

Was this segment born out of residual anger because the Orioles have no idea how to catch the final out to secure a series win at Fenway? Maybe. Little bit.