Entering the 2021 MLB season, the AL East was expected to be at least a three-team race between the Rays, fresh off an AL pennant, Yankees and Red Sox.
It had potential to be a four-team race, including the up-and-coming Blue Jays. Except, the Yankees struggled to get going the first four months, barely hovering over .500 at the All-Star break.
New York has since come out of the gates hot, not only climbing only a few games back of a wild-card spot, but a handful of games back of first in the AL East.
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A tough challenge still awaits in leaping the Red Sox, not to mention the Rays. New York is a combined 10-19 against the two this season, including 3-10 against Boston entering a three-game set this week.
But with key Yankees soon returning from the injured list, they've positioned themselves to make a run at their division rivals.
Here's how all 30 teams stack up in the MLB Power Rankings halfway through August.
