The American League East is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. MLB consists of an East, Central, and West division for each of its two 15-team leagues, the American League (AL) and National League (NL). This division was created before the start of the along with the American League West. Before that time, each league consisted of 10 teams without any divisions.

Four of the division's five teams are located in the Eastern United States, with the other team, the Toronto Blue Jays, in Eastern Canada. It is currently the only division that contains a non-American team. At the end of the Major League Baseball season, the team with the best record in the division earns one of the AL's six playoff spots.

History Baseball writers have long posited that the American League East is the toughest division in MLB; during its 50-year existence, an AL East team has gone on to play in the World Series 28 times, and 16 of those teams have been crowned World Series champions. Since the , when the wild-card playoff berth was introduced, the AL East has produced 20 of the 32 wild-card teams for the American League, with the AL West sending seven teams, and only five coming from the AL Central.

When MLB split into divisions for the , the American League, unlike the National League, split its 12 teams strictly on geography. The six teams then located in the Eastern Time Zone were all placed in the AL East, with the other six teams making up the AL West.

Realignment of 1972 In September 1971, American League owners approved the move of the second Washington Senators franchise to Arlington, Texas, to become the Texas Rangers. With the Rangers moving to the AL West, the owners then debated whether the Chicago White Sox or Milwaukee Brewers should move to the AL East for 1972. The White Sox requested they be moved to the East under the argument of being an original AL franchise and playing most of their longtime rival teams, of which five were in the East.

The Oakland Athletics (formerly from Kansas City and Philadelphia) objected to moving the White Sox to the East; owner Charlie Finley was a Chicago native who wanted to continue to make three trips per season with his club to the Second City. The Minnesota Twins went a step further and objected to switching either the White Sox or Brewers out of fear of losing their closest geographic rivals and the Twins, citing the National League's lack of geographic accuracy (which placed the Atlanta Braves in the NL West) in forming its divisions as a reason why the Rangers should not have been shifted out of the East. The Twins also argued that the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys played (and still do play) in the NFC East despite being far from the Northeast.

The White Sox' pleas notwithstanding, the Brewers, who began as the Seattle Pilots in and had to endure long divisional road trips to Oakland and Anaheim (and vice-versa) in the AL West, were moved to the AL East.

Division membership

Current members Baltimore Orioles – Founding member Boston Red Sox – Founding member New York Yankees – Founding member Tampa Bay Rays – Joined in 1998 as an expansion team. Known as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays before 2008 Toronto Blue Jays – Joined in 1977 as an expansion team.

Former members Cleveland Indians, founding member, moved to the newly created AL Central in 1994 Detroit Tigers, founding member, moved to the AL Central in 1998 to make room for the expansion Tampa Bay Devil Rays Milwaukee Brewers, joined from the AL West in 1972 to replace the Texas Rangers, moved to the newly created AL Central in 1994 Washington Senators, founding member, moved to the AL West as the Texas Rangers in 1972

Membership timeline AL East Division Years 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 Baltimore Orioles Boston Red Sox Cleveland Indians Detroit Tigers New York Yankees WashingtonSenators     Milwaukee Brewers   Toronto Blue Jays AL East Division Years 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 9697 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 Baltimore Orioles Boston Red Sox Cleveland Indians   Detroit Tigers   New York Yankees Milwaukee Brewers   Toronto Blue Jays   Tampa Bay Devil Rays AL East Division Years 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 2425 26 27 Baltimore Orioles Boston Red Sox New York Yankees Toronto Blue Jays Tampa Bay Rays Team not in division Division Won World Series Division Won AL Championship AL East was formed with six teams due to the 1969 expansion, as the AL grew from 10 teams to 12. Following the 1971 season, the Washington Senators franchise relocated and became the Texas Rangers of the AL West; the Milwaukee Brewers moved to the AL East to maintain an equal number of teams in each division. The Toronto Blue Jays were added in the 1977 expansion, becoming the seventh team of the AL East. As part of the 1994 realignment, Cleveland and Milwaukee were moved to the newly created AL Central, reducing the AL East to five teams. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays were added in the 1998 expansion while Detroit moved to the AL Central, maintaining the AL East at five teams. Entering the 2008 season, Tampa Bay's team name changed from Devil Rays to Rays.

Champions by year

Team names link to the season in which each team played

YearWinnerRecord%Playoff Results Baltimore Orioles (1)109–53.673 Won ALCS (Twins) 3–0Lost World Series (Mets) 4–1 Baltimore Orioles (2)108–54.667 Won ALCS (Twins) 3–0Won World Series (Reds) 4–1 Baltimore Orioles (3)101–57.639 Won ALCS (Athletics) 3–0Lost World Series (Pirates) 4–3 Detroit Tigers (1)86–70.551Lost ALCS (Athletics) 3–2 Baltimore Orioles (4)97–65.599Lost ALCS (Athletics) 3–2 Baltimore Orioles (5)91–71.562Lost ALCS (Athletics) 3–1 Boston Red Sox (1)95–65.594 Won ALCS (Athletics) 3–0Lost World Series (Reds) 4–3 New York Yankees (1)97–62.610 Won ALCS (Royals) 3–2Lost World Series (Reds) 4–0 New York Yankees (2)100–62.617 Won ALCS (Royals) 3–2Won World Series (Dodgers) 4–2 New York Yankees (3)*100–63.613 Won ALCS (Royals) 3–1Won World Series (Dodgers) 4–2 Baltimore Orioles (6)102–57.642 Won ALCS (Angels) 3–1Lost World Series (Pirates) 4–3 New York Yankees (4)103–59.636Lost ALCS (Royals) 3–0 New York Yankees (5)59–48.551 Won ALDS (Brewers) 3–2Won ALCS (Athletics) 3–0Lost World Series (Dodgers) 4–2 Milwaukee Brewers (1)95–67.586 Won ALCS (Angels) 3–2Lost World Series (Cardinals) 4–3 Baltimore Orioles (7)98–64.605 Won ALCS (White Sox) 3–1Won World Series (Phillies) 4–1 Detroit Tigers (2)104–58.642 Won ALCS (Royals) 3–0Won World Series (Padres) 4–1 Toronto Blue Jays (1)99–62.615Lost ALCS (Royals) 4–3 Boston Red Sox (2)95–66.590 Won ALCS (Angels) 4–3Lost World Series (Mets) 4–3 Detroit Tigers (3)98–64.605Lost ALCS (Twins) 4–1 Boston Red Sox (3)89–73.549Lost ALCS (Athletics) 4–0 Toronto Blue Jays (2)89–73.549Lost ALCS (Athletics) 4–1 Boston Red Sox (4)88–74.543Lost ALCS (Athletics) 4–0 Toronto Blue Jays (3)91–71.562Lost ALCS (Twins) 4–1 Toronto Blue Jays (4)96–66.593 Won ALCS (Athletics) 4–2Won World Series (Braves) 4–2 Toronto Blue Jays (5)95–67.586 Won ALCS (White Sox) 4–2Won World Series (Phillies) 4–2No playoffs due 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike Boston Red Sox (5)86–58.597Lost ALDS (Indians) 3–0 New York Yankees (6)92–70.568 Won ALDS (Rangers) 3–1Won ALCS (Orioles) 4–1Won World Series (Braves) 4–2 Baltimore Orioles (8)98–64.605Won ALDS (Mariners) 3–1Lost ALCS (Indians) 4–2 New York Yankees (7)114–48.704 Won ALDS (Rangers) 3–0Won ALCS (Indians) 4–2Won World Series (Padres) 4–0 New York Yankees (8)98–64.605 Won ALDS (Rangers) 3–0Won ALCS (Red Sox) 4–1Won World Series (Braves) 4–0 New York Yankees (9)87–74.540 Won ALDS (Athletics) 3–2Won ALCS (Mariners) 4–2Won World Series (Mets) 4–1 New York Yankees (10)95–65.594 Won ALDS (Athletics) 3–2Won ALCS (Mariners) 4–1Lost World Series (Diamondbacks) 4–3 New York Yankees (11)103–58.640Lost ALDS (Angels) 3–1 New York Yankees (12)101–61.623 Won ALDS (Twins) 3–1Won ALCS (Red Sox) 4–3Lost World Series (Marlins) 4–2 New York Yankees (13)101–61.623Won ALDS (Twins) 3–1Lost ALCS (Red Sox) 4–3 New York Yankees (14)+95–67.586Lost ALDS (Angels) 3–2 New York Yankees (15)97–65.599Lost ALDS (Tigers) 3–1 Boston Red Sox (6)96–66.593 Won ALDS (Angels) 3–0Won ALCS (Indians) 4–3Won World Series (Rockies) 4–0 Tampa Bay Rays (1)97–65.599 Won ALDS (White Sox) 3–1Won ALCS (Red Sox) 4–3Lost World Series (Phillies) 4–1 New York Yankees (16)103–59.636 Won ALDS (Twins) 3–0Won ALCS (Angels) 4–2Won World Series (Phillies) 4–2 Tampa Bay Rays (2)96–66.593Lost ALDS (Rangers) 3–2 New York Yankees (17)97–65.599Lost ALDS (Tigers) 3–2 New York Yankees (18)95–67.586Won ALDS (Orioles) 3–2Lost ALCS (Tigers) 4–0 Boston Red Sox (7)97–65.599 Won ALDS (Rays) 3–1Won ALCS (Tigers) 4–2Won World Series (Cardinals) 4–2 Baltimore Orioles (9)96–66 .593 Won ALDS (Tigers) 3–0Lost ALCS (Royals) 4–0 Toronto Blue Jays (6)93–69.574Won ALDS (Rangers) 3–2Lost ALCS (Royals) 4–2 Boston Red Sox (8)93–69.574Lost ALDS (Indians) 3–0 Boston Red Sox (9)93–69.574Lost ALDS (Astros) 3–1 Boston Red Sox (10)108–54.667 Won ALDS (Yankees) 3–1Won ALCS (Astros) 4–1Won World Series (Dodgers) 4–1 New York Yankees (19)103–59.636Won ALDS (Twins) 3–0Lost ALCS (Astros) 4–2 Tampa Bay Rays (3)40–20.667 Won ALWC (Blue Jays) 2–0Won ALDS (Yankees) 3–2 Won ALCS (Astros) 4–3 Lost World Series (Dodgers) 4–2 Tampa Bay Rays (4) 100–62 .617 Lost ALDS (Red Sox) 3–1 New York Yankees (20)99–63.611 Won ALDS (Guardians) 3–2 Lost ALCS (Astros) 4–0 Baltimore Orioles (10)101–61.623 Lost ALDS (Rangers) 3–0 New York Yankees (21) 94–68 .580 Won ALDS (Royals) 3–1Won ALCS (Guardians) 4–1Lost World Series (Dodgers) 4–1 Toronto Blue Jays (7)++94–68.580Won ALDS (Yankees) 3–1Won ALCS (Mariners) 4–3Lost World Series (Dodgers) 4–3 Tampa Bay Rays (5)98–64.605 ALDS (Yankees)

* – The Yankees and Red Sox finished with exact records, tied for the division championship; the Yankees won a one-game tie-breaker.

– Due to the 1981 Major League Baseball strike, the season was split. The Yankees won the first half and defeated the second-half champion Brewers (62–45) in the postseason.

– Due to the 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike starting August 12, the season was not played to completion. The Yankees were leading at the time of the strike.

+ – The Red Sox and Yankees finished tied for first place with identical records. The Yankees were declared division winners, due to having won the season series against the Red Sox, and the Red Sox received the wild card berth.

– Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 season was shortened to 60 games. By virtue of an expanded eight-team postseason format, the division runner-up Yankees also qualified for the playoffs.

++ – The Blue Jays and Yankees finished tied for first place with identical records. The Blue Jays were declared division winners, due to having won the season series against the Yankees, and the Yankees received the first wild card berth.

Other postseason teams Since the advent of the Wild Card, AL East teams have faced each other in the ALCS 5 times, the ALDS 4 times, and the Wild Card twice.

See List of American League Wild Card winners (since 1994)