VOTE: Which Yankees AL opponent’s start has surprised you the most?
· Yahoo Sports
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You can’t predict baseball, except for the times that you can. The Yankees are off to another strong start, the Dodgers look as great as ever, and the Brewers, despite middling projections, are once again in first place in the NL Central, all developments that are far from shocking. Some things, it feels you can just set your watch to.
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But for every expectation met, there’s been an expectation subverted thus far this year. And so we ask, almost two weeks into the season, which of the Yankees’ AL opponents has most surprised you with their start to the year?
Typically, surprises can come in the pleasant variety, but not so in this poll, as we have four shaky starts to choose from here. One is from an AL West rival, with the Mariners sputtering to a 4-7 on the heels of a division title and an ALCS last year. Seattle’s lineup hasn’t hit yet, but they’re at least only two games back of an Angels squad no one expects to remain in first for long.
On the other side, we have the AL East, with the Orioles, Blue Jays, and Red Sox all off to disappointing starts. Baltimore and Toronto are both on four wins apiece, sitting 3.5 games back of the Yankees. The new(ish)-look O’s have just been somewhat shaky out the gate, while the Jays have to be concerned with the toll injuries are taking on their roster, with Alejandro Kirk, José Berríos, Shane Bieber, Addison Barger, and Trey Yesavage all on the IL.
And then there are the Red Sox, 2-8 in their first 10 games. Their bats have slumped to a .682 OPS, nearly every pitcher on the roster not named Garrett Crochet or Aroldis Chapman has gotten shelled (both have still had toughmoments, too), and Roman Anthony’s defense has become an early-season meme, and not in a good way. Boston entered 2026 with hopes of building on a surprisingly strong 2025, but they’ve quickly found themselves 5.5 games back in the division.
So what do you think? Which start has surprised you the most? Is it that of an AL East foe, or the slumping Mariners?
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