With Opening Day just around the corner, the offseason is more or less complete for MLB’s 30 clubs and teams. Until the playoffs begin, teams will be focused on a smaller goal: winning their division. In the run-up to the start of the season, we will be conducting a series of polls to gauge who MLBTR readers believe is the favorite in each division. The Blue Jays came out on top in the AL East, while our readers overwhelmingly (58%) voted for the Tigers in our poll on the AL Central. Today, we’ll be moving on to the AL West. All teams are listed in order of their 2025 regular season record:
Seattle Mariners (90-72)
Powered by an MVP-caliber season from star catcher Cal Raleigh, the Mariners surged ahead of the pack in the AL West last year and fell just one game short of reaching the World Series. Eugenio Suárez and Jorge Polanco departed via free agency, but the rest of that team is more or less intact. A rotation led by Logan Gilbert and Bryan Woo figures to once again be among the very best in baseball, and they’ll be backed up by a bullpen that added lefty Jose Ferrer to pair with Andres Munoz and Matt Brash in high-leverage situations. The big addition to the offense is utilityman Brendan Donovan, who’ll primarily play third base and help lengthen a lineup featuring Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez, Josh Naylor, Randy Arozarena and breakout slugger Dominic Canzone. The offense could improve even more if young second baseman Cole Young and/or top prospect Colt Emerson prove they can be impact players in 2026, but it’s easy to make the argument that Seattle remains the most well-rounded team in the division even without those improvements.
Houston Astros (87-75)
The Astros missed the postseason for the first time since 2016 last year, and the team was not as aggressive as one might have expected this winter. That’s not to say the Astros were inactive. They replaced Framber Valdez at the top of the rotation with Tatsuya Imai and brought in Mike Burrows from the Pirates to add further depth to a rotation that was often held together by duct tape and bubblegum last year. Houston will bring back a nearly identical offense, only swapping Mauricio Dubon for Nick Allen and Jesus Sanchez for Joey Loperfido while going to internal backup Cesar Salazar as a replacement for Victor Caratini. The Astros explored trades of infielder Isaac Paredes and tried to get another left-handed bat, but they’ve come up empty to date. The uncertain health of closer Josh Hader only adds to the question marks facing Houston as they look to return to the top of this division.
Texas Rangers (81-81)
After a second consecutive disappointing season, the Rangers moved on from second baseman Marcus Semien, outfielder Adolis Garcia, and catcher Jonah Heim. Semien was traded to the Mets for outfielder Brandon Nimmo, who will take over right field following Garcia’s non-tender. Heim, also non-tendered, will be replaced by catcher Danny Jansen. Nimmo and Jansen should be upgrades over Heim and Garcia, though the team lost some positional depth by forcing Josh Smith into the everyday role at second base. The addition of MacKenzie Gore to an already talented rotation should allow the Rangers’ starters to once again be among the best in baseball, but they’ll need better health from Corey Seager and more production from Joc Pederson and Josh Jung if they’re going to compete for the division title this year.
The Athletics (76-86)
While it’s been a busy and exciting offseason for fans of the A’s, that excitement has mostly been focused on extensions. Long-term deals for Tyler Soderstrom and Jacob Wilson are encouraging for the long-term health of the franchise but don’t move the needle in 2026. The A’s added Jeff McNeil to help the offense at second base, and a full season of Nick Kurtz in the majors won’t hurt. Strong as the offense looks, the club’s lack of pitching additions for a roster that struggled to prevent runs even before losing Mason Miller at the trade deadline creates plenty of concern. They’ll need a lot to break right, particularly in the bullpen.
Los Angeles Angels (72-90)
As is often the case with the Angels, it’s not impossible to squint and see the bones of a solid team. Mike Trout was healthier last season than he’s been in a very long time. Jo Adell slugged 40 homers in 2025. Jorge Soler remains a potential middle-of-the-order force when healthy. Josh Lowe was a high-upside addition, and it’s not impossible to imagine any of Nolan Schanuel, Reid Detmers, and Christian Moore following in the footsteps of Zach Neto to become high quality regulars. Unfortunately, fans in Anaheim know that the club has been in this situation virtually every year for the past decade. They’ve seen far too many potential-laden teams undercut by a lack of depth before finishing the season underwater and failing to reach the playoffs. Perhaps this year will be different, but Angels fans have earned their skepticism, especially following an offseason where Lowe, Kirby Yates, and Grayson Rodriguez (the latter of whom is already injured) were the club’s biggest additions.
How do MLBTR readers think the AL West will shake out this year? Will the Mariners continue to reign supreme? Will the Astros find a way to reestablish themselves as the class of the AL? Was the Rangers’ roster shakeup enough to get them back to the playoffs? Or could the A’s or Angels surprise with a big season? Have your say in the poll below:
I want the Astros to win the division but the Mariners are a true powerhouse. I think we’ll be pretty good and win at least 90 games but the Mariners seem like a team that wins almost 100.
Don’t count out the A’s. Yes, pitching deep is a consideration but nonetheless this is for sure a dark horse team…
Angels Rockies WS incoming
The Angels, easily… wait, this isn’t 2014.
Mariners seem as strong, maybe even stronger than they were last year. I wouldn’t call them a lock but it’s theirs to lose.
I think the A’s could play the spoiler. They play the Mariners 7 times in September and they end the season at home against the Astros. If they’re a team that’s just getting better with time, well as I said, they could make the race to the finish interesting.
Mariners look great on paper but it took them a long time last year to finally decide they wanted to be a playoff team. They had to win 17 out of 25 in September and rely on Houston completely fizzling out in the second half just to win the division. 90 wins probably won’t get them a #2 seed again this year.
After starting the year 0-30, the Angels will be prompted to make some moves, including Jo Adell for Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole, and Anthony Volpe, alongside moving Keibeirt Ruiz for Mookie and Will Smith. They will also trade for Skenes and Skubal in a 3 team trade in which they give up Matthew Lugo and Zach Neto. After these moves, they go on a 143 game winning streak and Mike Trout gets his first ring. Book it now.
LOL
I’d be impressed if they could trade someone else’s player to get players on their team. Maybe you meant they would utilize another 3 team trade involving Ruiz for Mookie and Will Smith. Perhaps sending O’Hoppe to the Nationals?
My AL West hot takes nobody asked for:
– A’s will win more games than they lose
– Astros finish third behind Texas (2) and Seattle (1)
the A’s are such a fun team to follow right now. They have a ton of young talent both at the MLB level and on the way there.
Yeah but wait until they trade all of that young talent away because they get too expensive lol
Have to go with Seattle in this one. That rotation is simply stacked and I love the addition of Gorman to their lineup. That’s a really good club up there and a great ballpark.
Gorman?
My mistake. Donovan. Not sure how I got those two mixed up.
I do get the Cardinals/former Cardinals mixed up sometimes as well. Nobody really stands out on that team anymore.
Do you mean Donovan?
Gorman is still on The Cards.
Yes. I made a mistake.
Mariners, easily. They have the best mix of depth and talent up and down the roster right now. Their weakest positions are SS/2B but that’s only because JP’s lost a step defensively and Young is still relatively unknown. Each are still slated for at least 2 WAR according to the projections, though, which is average regular territory. DH is the hammock for the veterans, as ot should be. If the rotation can stay mostly healthy, and I think they will, then they’re locked into a top 3 seed.
Whoever wins gets the opportunity to be swept out of the wild card round by whatever Al east team finishes 3rd.
Seattle wins.
Texas a little surprise to finish 2nd.
Houston is a .500 club again.
Oakland will score runs.
Angels play for a draft pick. Imagine if they would’ve traded Trout and Ohtani to restock their farm system.
On paper, the Seattle Mariners look like the team nobody wants to admit is sitting in pole position. Deep rotation, athletic lineup, real upside they’re the kind of roster that sneaks up on you until suddenly they’re in first place in late August.
Houston Astros
Still the division’s measuring stick. Still loaded. Still the team everyone has to get through. They’re the link you can’t break until someone actually knocks them off.
Las Vegas A’s
Call them a long shot if you want but they’re young, fast, and explosive. The kind of team that doesn’t know they’re supposed to lose yet. Dangerous in all the ways a rebuilding club shouldn’t be.
They Mariners knocked them off last year. Houston is loaded but I don’t no with what?