LEADING OFF

ALL BUNCHED UP: The AL East is bunched up as Tampa Bay opens a fourgame series at the Yankees today, when Chris Archer (7-6) starts for the Rays and CC Sabathia (9-3) for New York. Boston, which ended a four-game skid by winning at Seattle on Wednesday, leads by one game over New York, with Tampa Bay another 1½ games back. The Rays are starting an eight-game trip that finishes with four games at Houston, which has the AL’s best record.

“We’re going to display what type team we really are,” Archer said.

MAX VS. MATT: Washington’s Max Scherzer (11-5, 2.26) enters today’s home start against Milwaukee with a 2.57 ERA in three starts against the Brewers since joining the Nationals. Brewers starter Matt Garza (4-5, 3.83) has a 19.85 ERA in four starts at Nationals Park.

AGAIN ALREADY: Miami rookie left-hander Chris O’Grady (1-1, 5.40) is scheduled to make his fourth big league start today at home against Cincinnati, his second straight outing against the Reds. The 27-year-old lefty did not get a decision last Sunday, when he gave up three runs, four hits and six walks over 4⅔ innings in Miami’s 5-4 win.

DECISION AHEAD: Rookie Rafael Devers made quite an impression in his first two days with the Boston Red Sox. Was it good enough to stick around? That’s one of the big questions as the Red Sox return home for a 10-game homestand that begins Friday against Kansas City. Boston acquired infielder Eduardo Nuñez from San Francisco this week but still need to make a move to get him on the roster before Friday’s game.