The American League East division has been home to arguably more iconic players than any other in all of Major League Baseball history. The teams in the AL East ooze tradition that traces back to the earliest years of the league. But which players did the most to build, and carry on, that tradition?
Today’s East division is the tightest divisional race in the American League, with the Baltimore Orioles riding a six-game winning streak going into play on Wednesday to claim a 4.5-game lead over the Boston Red Sox and a five-game lead over the Toronto Blue Jays. A division that throughout much of its history has been dominated by a certain club from the Bronx has become a beacon of parity in recent years, and that’s produced some excellent baseball.
The history of the teams that comprise the American League East is a veritable who’s who of baseball glory. They have accounted for 40 World Series championships, 47 members of the Baseball Hall of Fame, nine members of the 3,000 hits club, 12 members of the 500 home run club, five members of the 300 win club, four members of the 3,000 strikeout club, and an astounding 1,034 All-Star selections.
Three of the five franchises were founding members of the AL, with history dating back even farther. Names like Ruth, Gehrig, Williams, Robinson, and Yastrzemski, have given way to Ripken, Alomar, Jeter, Ortiz, and Price. There are countless records, unforgettable games, and moments both euphoric and dispiriting.
With that in mind, we here at Call to the Pen wondered which players have had the most historic seasons for each of these teams. As it turns out, the names are among the biggest the game has known, and span the course of MLB history.
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