Is the AL East a done deal, or still up for grabs?

On the day Gerrit Cole tried on the Yankees pinstripes, then hoisted a piece of sun-faded poster board from his childhood, the ace spoke confidently about his new club’s chances of accomplishing its goal of a World Series championship. He could not have anticipated that his path might unexpectedly become easier before pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training.

In the wake of Tuesday’s blockbuster transaction that removed Mookie Betts and David Price from the Red Sox's roster, both the Rays and the Yankees stand to be among the biggest beneficiaries, while the up-and-coming Blue Jays also figure to enjoy an increased opportunity to reach the postseason.

“Pressure is a privilege,” Cole said that day. “Pressure comes in situations in September and October because you played well all year. I came eight hours away from getting a ring [in 2019]. I felt like I could see the light underneath the door, and then it was slammed shut in our face. I'm as hungry as ever to finish that challenge. In my opinion, there would be no better place to do it than New York.”

The first step, of course, will be securing the American League East -- the goal that manager Aaron Boone outlined to his players on the first day of Spring Training in 2019, and almost certainly will do again over the next several weeks.

The favorite

Yankees
Coming off a 103-win season in which they overcame a Major League-record 30 players (39 stints) on the injured list and won their first division title since 2012, the Yankees were already forecast as AL East favorites before the Boston swap. You would think that weakening the Red Sox would solidify the Yanks’ chances of a repeat, but then consider that New York was 14-5 against Boston last season, outscoring its rivals 125-104 (50 of those runs were scored during the arena frenzy of the London Series).

Regardless, the Yankees are a team built to win immediately, so anything short of that would be considered failure. Their rotation went from a concern to a strength with the addition of Cole, whose arrival should help overcome the early-season absence of James Paxton. They are counting on huge offensive numbers from stars like Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Gleyber Torres. An elite bullpen headed by closer Aroldis Chapman again projects as a plus, even with the departure of Dellin Betances to the Mets.

“We feel like we've been incredibly close now for the last few years, and we've added one of the best players in the game to the mix,” Boone said. “And so [a championship] will certainly be the goal and the expectation. We welcome that expectation.”

The threat

Rays
One underreported aspect of the trade: Betts’ relocation to Southern California may prompt celebration among the Rays’ pitching staff. Betts has pummeled Tampa Bay’s pitchers over the years, owning 16 career home runs against them, the second most for him against any team (he has 20 against Baltimore). As a team, the Rays are 35-41 against the Red Sox since 2016, but it’s also worth noting that they went 12-7 against Boston last season.

In addition to what might arguably be the best starting rotation in the division, the Rays have also added Yoshi Tsutsugo, José Martínez and Hunter Renfroe to the offense, hoping that they can provide enough power in the lineup. If Boston isn’t in the picture by June or July, the Rays have to be viewed as favorites for a Wild Card spot while challenging the Yankees for the division. -- Juan Toribio

The contenders

Blue Jays
The Blue Jays are hoping that significant changes to their rotation will translate to considerable movement in the standings, including a possible run at a Wild Card spot. With a bona fide ace in Korean left-hander Hyun Jin Ryu, stability in Tanner Roark and Chase Anderson, a confident Matt Shoemaker and several quality candidates to slot in as the team’s fifth starter, Toronto appears far removed from the club that used 21 starting options last season.

Thanks to the emergence of some of the game’s brightest future stars in Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Cavan Biggio, Toronto figures to fare far better than its fourth-place finish last year.

“Realistically, the goal is to make the playoffs,” Shoemaker said. “That’s our goal, to go out there and win. And we know with the pieces that we added, and potentially more pieces that we could be adding, we know that’s always the mindset and we know that’s very realistic. We’ve just got to go out there and do it and play as a team and do it together.” -- Alexis Brudnicki

Red Sox
Even without Betts and Price, Boston still has plenty of talent and could stay in the mix for a Wild Card spot. J.D. Martinez, Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers are all elite hitters, and Andrew Benintendi is a strong candidate to rebound. Christian Vázquez is coming off a career year, and the hope is that Alex Verdugo -- the centerpiece of the deal from the Dodgers -- can be a key contributor for the lineup.

The Red Sox will need to replace Price, but ace Chris Sale is determined to bounce back from the most inconsistent season of his career. Sale must prove he is over the left elbow woes that ended his 2019 season six weeks early. Eduardo Rodriguez won 19 games last year, and it will be interesting to see how he responds without former manager Alex Cora, who seemed to know how to push his buttons the right way. Nathan Eovaldi underwhelmed, but can be an “X” factor if Boston is to exceed expectations.

“I still think we are going to be a great team,” Eovaldi told reporters Wednesday in Fort Myers, Fla. “It’s hard to look at the big picture right now, but once everything gets underway and players get out there and do our job and compete and win ballgames, it makes things a lot easier for everybody.” -- Ian Browne