Intriguing AL East destined for dramatic finish

This might be one of those seasons when the American League East is decided in the final days of the regular season, if not the final hours, and wouldn’t this be the kind of chaos we love?

In a normal season, this would be around the time every team begins serious scoreboard watching as the Orioles host the Red Sox and the Yankees host the Blue Jays on Tuesday.

Truth is, this race has been so insane for so long that these teams have probably been keeping an eye on the scoreboard for weeks.

To summarize:

• The Blue Jays, Orioles and Red Sox are bunched within one game of each other at the top of the American League East.

• Since July 4, there has been just one day when they’ve been separated by more than three games.

• Don’t overlook the Yankees, who are younger and more interesting than they’ve been in awhile. They’re a mere 5 1/2 games out of the division race and just 4 1/2 back in the chase of the second AL Wild Card berth.

• Beware the Rays. If their role is that of spoiler, they’re capable of doing just that. Since the All-Star break, Tampa Bay’s rotation has a 2.99 ERA, second only to the Cubs among all 30 teams.

OK, back to the top three teams.

Since the All-Star break, the Blue Jays, Red Sox and Orioles have all spent time in first place. However, no team has come close to taking control of the division.

Here’s a snapshot of the division:

1. Orioles

They’ve spent 110 of the season’s 134 days in first place despite a starting rotation that has been a work in …

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