Houston Astros
Once again, expect the Astros to be an AL contender, whether they win this division or not.
They came dangerously close to ceding the division last year to the Texas Rangers, who eventually beat them in the ALCS en route to their first World Series title.
Those teams should be neck-and-neck again this season, with the Astros largely still intact but with an upgraded bullpen after signing Josh Hader.
Their only big question is in center field, where Jake Meyers is expected to finally take the reins. Even with Justin Verlander starting the season on the IL, it's hard to bet against a team that has made the ALCS every year since 2017.
Los Angeles Angels
How will the Angels respond after losing one the biggest stars the game has seen?
Are they ultimately better off in the long run to refocus on a future without a $700 million player?
Maybe, but it's hard to envision them having enough to compete with the Astros and Rangers, a pair of World Series hopefuls with a clear edge over the Angels in 2024.
As far as middling teams go, they should be one of the better ones thanks to a beefed-up bullpen, which elevates this division. Adding Snell would make them even peskier to the top dogs of the division.
Oakland Athletics
Oakland's pitching is more experienced and probably better, but let's be real about it: The A's are bringing down the property values in the AL West.
They are projected to finish with the AL's worst record, despite their offseason moves bringing in credible starters like Alex Wood, Ross Stripling and a potential closer in Trevor Gott.
None of this helps them really improve from the worst OPS and fewest runs scored in baseball last season.
Seattle Mariners
The Mariners are one of the more fascinating clubs to observe. Just two seasons ago, it appeared to be a team on the rise with budding superstar centerfielder Julio Rodríguez and a bevy of young, talented pitchers.
Fast-forward to now and they still have those components, but it's unclear if they have done enough to take a step forward from the team that lost to the Astros in the 2022 Wild Card Round. President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto has talked about reimagining Seattle's lineup and followed through by sending out a host of established players.
He replaced them while operating with serious budget constraints, and the Mariners project to be slightly above average. But that alone helps the AL West in division rankings.
Seattle will go as far as their rotation takes them, which is up there for best in all of MLB.
Texas Rangers
The World Series champions are in good shape to defend their title and challenge the Astros for the division nod as long as they can survive the first few months.
They won it all without winning the division last year, but they were leading it early and for much of the year. There is no reason to expect a drop-off with so many of the key contributors returning, and the expected emergence of Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford.
The bullpen was an issue for Texas last season, so it made it a priority in signing relievers Kirby Yates and David Robertson. Tyler Mahle is expected to return from Tommy John surgery in the second half of the season, and Max Scherzer is likely to make his 2024 debut around June to add some serious depth to the rotation. Jacob deGrom could also return late in the season.
Having the World Series champion still be a contender, along with another legitimate contender in the Astros makes this division really strong outside of Oakland.
