2020 MLB Season: Simulating AL Games for April 17-19

JUPITER, FLORIDA - MARCH 11: Gio Urshela #29 of the New York Yankees in action against the Miami Marlins during the fourth inning of a Grapefruit League spring training at Roger Dean Stadium on March 11, 2020 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
JUPITER, FLORIDA - MARCH 11: Gio Urshela #29 of the New York Yankees in action against the Miami Marlins during the fourth inning of a Grapefruit League spring training at Roger Dean Stadium on March 11, 2020 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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2020 MLB Season
(Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images) /

As baseball remains in hiatus due to the coronavirus, we continue simulating games for the 2020 MLB season. Here are the results for 4/17-4/19 for the AL.

It took three weeks, but the New York Yankees have found their way to the top of the American League East.

In our 2020 MLB season simulation, it’s hardly a secure lead. By taking two of three extra-inning games from the Cincinnati Reds, the Yankees edged one game ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays, who took two of three from Tampa Bay.

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The Boston Red Sox dropped into third after being held scoreless in a three-game sweep at Fenway at the hands of the Cleveland Indians.

In the AL Central, Minnesota swept the last-place Detroit Tigers to extend the Twins’ hot start. At 18-4, they remain two games ahead of the Indians.

The Houston Astros beat the Los Angeles Angels three straight and extended their lead over the Texas Rangers to four and one-half games.

His Red Sox may have done nothing against Cleveland, but Xander Bogaerts maintained his hot start at-bat. Bogaerts collected six hits in a dozen at-bats to lift his average to .406 and close in on AL batting leader Brandon Lowe of Tampa Bay.  Held to two hits in the final three games of their Rays’ four-game weekend series with Toronto, Lowe’s average fell to .412, but he retained a six-point advantage.

Minnesota’s Nelson Cruz homered three times against the Tigers to catch Chicago’s Jose Abreu in the home run race. Both now have 10 for the season. Cruz’s teammate, Josh Donaldson, drove in two runs and has 27 RBIs.

The Yankees’ Gerrit Cole fanned 13 Reds and lifted his strikeout total to 45, just three behind Lucas Giolito