Given the slew of injuries plaguing the Yankees and the frustration fans are feeling watching Aaron Hicks struggle, it’s surprising that no player has ended up on the injured list with a neck sprain from constantly looking up at the Tampa Bay Rays in the standings.
While some speculate that the Rays might be unstoppable like Secretariat, former general manager Jim Bowden sees them more as a pace horse that will eventually slow down. In The Athletic, Bowden expressed skepticism about the Rays’ early dominance:
First, let me clarify that the Rays are definitely a playoff-caliber team. However, I’m cautioning against buying into their dominant start and the notion that they’ll maintain their lead in home runs throughout the season. (They’ve already hit 48 homers, the most in the league.)
Although they’re a strong team with potential to go far in October, I believe they will eventually face stiff competition from the Blue Jays and Yankees in what promises to be a tightly contested AL East race.