Yankees 'jumping right into the deep end' to begin season

On paper, the AL East has never looked stronger, and in the words of Aaron Boone, the Yankees will be “jumping right into the deep end” to start the season.

After they face the Red Sox this weekend in a three-game series at the Stadium, the Yankees will host the Blue Jays for four games. Those three teams were among the four in the division that won at least 91 games last season (the AL East champion Rays were the other), and none of the four clubs spent the winter getting worse.

“Two outstanding teams, two teams that we’re going to compete against a lot this year, who have similar things in mind,” Boone said Thursday of his team's first two opponents, those “similar things” being the division crown. “Certainly would love to get off to a good start and have a good homestand, but I always say, win or lose, we're in the business of making sure we're prepared to go every day, and no matter what comes our way, we're equipped to handle it. So excited to go up against the best right away [and] that's something I feel like this group especially enjoys.”

Red Sox manager Alex Cora, speaking Thursday before Boone, said of the AL East: “Obviously, we play in the toughest division in baseball. It’s going to be a grind since Day 1.”

Gonzalez officially added

The Yankees made official Thursday what unofficially had been true when the club broke camp Tuesday in Tampa: Veteran utilityman Marwin Gonzalez, who swung one of the hottest bats on the club during spring training, made the club, signing a major-league contract. To make room on the 40-man roster, they designated outfielder Jeisson Rosario for assignment. They also put backup catcher Ben Rortvedt on the 10-day injured list with a Grade 1 right oblique strain.

By Erik Boland

erik.boland@newsday.comeboland11

Erik Boland started in Newsday's sports department in 2002. He covered high school and college sports, then shifted to the Jets beat. He has covered the Yankees since 2009.