Everything you need to know about the AL West
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The Astros and Athletics have dominated the AL West since 2017. It's expected to be more of the same this season, but the Angels could have something to say about that. The Mariners, meanwhile, have a budding roster that could do some damage, and the Rangers are rebuilding.
Houston Astros
2020 record: 29-31 (2nd in AL West)
Payroll: $204M
O/U win total: 92-70
World Series odds: +2000
3-year trend: 2018 (1st); 2019 (1st); 2020 (2nd)
Highest projected WAR: Alex Bregman (5.8)
X-factor: Yordan Alvarez
Key injuries: Pedro Baez, Josh James, Austin Pruitt, Framber Valdez, Justin Verlander
Prospect to watch: Pedro Leon
Winter report card: B-
Projected Lineup
| ORDER | PLAYER | POS. | PROJ. WAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jose Altuve | 2B | 3.2 |
| 2 | Michael Brantley (L) | LF | 2.5 |
| 3 | Alex Bregman | 3B | 5.8 |
| 4 | Carlos Correa | SS | 4.0 |
| 5 | Yordan Alvarez (L) | DH | 3.5 |
| 6 | Yuli Gurriel | 1B | 1.0 |
| 7 | Kyle Tucker (L) | RF | 2.8 |
| 8 | Myles Straw | CF | 0.9 |
| 9 | Martin Maldonado | C | 0.9 |
Bench
| PLAYER | POS. | PROJ. WAR |
|---|---|---|
| Jason Castro (L) | C | 0.9 |
| Robel Garcia (S) | IF | 0.0 |
| Aledmys Diaz | IF/OF | 0.3 |
| Chas McCormick | OF | 0.2 |
The Astros lost George Springer in free agency, leaving a glaring hole in the lineup that they hope to fill with speedster Straw and the return of powerful designated hitter Alvarez. Otherwise, Houston enters 2021 with essentially the same lineup it used to reach its fourth consecutive American League Championship Series last year after rebounding from an underwhelming regular season.
Projected Rotation
| PITCHER | PROJ. IP | PROJ. ERA |
|---|---|---|
| Zack Greinke | 191 | 4.26 |
| Lance McCullers Jr. | 148 | 3.76 |
| Cristian Javier | 109 | 4.92 |
| Jose Urquidy | 138 | 4.60 |
| Jake Odorizzi | 146 | 4.46 |
Bullpen
| PITCHER | PROJ. IP | PROJ. ERA |
|---|---|---|
| Ryan Pressly | 62 | 3.50 |
| Enoli Paredes | 58 | 4.11 |
| Blake Taylor (L) | 62 | 4.28 |
| Joe Smith | 56 | 4.12 |
| Brooks Raley (L) | 54 | 4.21 |
| Bryan Abreu | 26 | 4.26 |
| Ryne Stanek | 48 | 4.16 |
| Luis Garcia | 55 | 4.91 |
Houston is without Verlander for most, if not all, of the season while he recovers from Tommy John surgery. The loss of Valdez due to a fractured finger for an undetermined amount of time is also significant, but it doesn't look as bad after the Astros signed Odorizzi. Pressly will move into the closer's role in a full-time capacity. Should he fail, the Astros have other options in Paredes, Stanek, and Baez (once he returns to form after a bout of COVID-19).
Los Angeles Angels
2020 record: 26-34 (4th)
Payroll: $191M
O/U win total: 86-76
World Series odds: +4000
3-year trend: 2018 (4th); 2019 (4th); 2020 (4th)
Highest projected WAR: Mike Trout (7.1)
X-factor: Shohei Ohtani
Key injuries: Luke Bard, Franklin Barreto, Felix Pena
Prospect to watch: Brandon Marsh (MLB.com: No. 53)
Winter report card: B
Projected Lineup
| ORDER | PLAYER | POS. | PROJ. WAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Fletcher | 2B | 2.1 |
| 2 | Shohei Ohtani (L) | DH | 1.5 |
| 3 | Mike Trout | CF | 7.1 |
| 4 | Anthony Rendon | 3B | 5.4 |
| 5 | Justin Upton | LF | 1.2 |
| 6 | Jared Walsh (L) | 1B | 0.9 |
| 7 | Jose Iglesias | SS | 1.8 |
| 8 | Max Stassi | C | 1.8 |
| 9 | Dexter Fowler (S) | RF | -0.1 |
Bench
| PLAYER | POS. | PROJ. WAR |
|---|---|---|
| Kurt Suzuki | C | 0.4 |
| Albert Pujols | 1B | -0.4 |
| Jose Rojas (L) | IF | 0.0 |
| Juan Lagares | OF | -0.1 |
The Angels boast one of the American League's most gifted lineups that should benefit from a healthy Ohtani, fewer at-bats for an aging Pujols, and the additions of Iglesias and Fowler. Trout and Rendon are two of MLB's best players, while Fletcher is one of baseball's most unheralded talents. A rebound from Upton after he posted an OPS below .725 in two straight campaigns would give Los Angeles a dominant top five.
Projected Rotation
| PITCHER | PROJ. IP | PROJ. ERA |
|---|---|---|
| Dylan Bundy | 175 | 4.70 |
| Andrew Heaney (L) | 172 | 4.27 |
| Alex Cobb | 144 | 4.66 |
| Shohei Ohtani | 97 | 4.61 |
| Griffin Canning | 134 | 4.66 |
| Jose Quintana (L) | 156 | 4.45 |
Bullpen
| PITCHER | PROJ. IP | PROJ. ERA |
|---|---|---|
| Raisel Iglesias | 64 | 3.82 |
| Mike Mayers | 66 | 4.41 |
| Junior Guerra | 52 | 4.74 |
| Alex Claudio (L) | 55 | 4.28 |
| Jaime Barria | 50 | 4.72 |
| Aaron Slegers | 38 | 4.67 |
| Chris Rodriguez | 26 | 4.54 |
| Patrick Sandoval (L) | 43 | 3.93 |
The Angels' rotation and bullpen feature a lot of new faces, with Cobb, Quintana, and Iglesias highlighting the additions. Bringing the trio aboard should stabilize a rotation that looks fairly solid behind Opening Day starter Bundy and a bullpen that struggled to finish games last season; Buttrey was demoted after leading the team with five saves in 2020.
Oakland Athletics
2020 record: 36-24 (1st)
Payroll: $99M
O/U win total: 83-79
World Series odds: +2200
3-year trend: 2018 (2nd); 2019 (2nd); 2020 (1st)
Highest projected WAR: Matt Chapman (4.8)
X-factor: Jesus Luzardo
Key injuries: Mike Fiers
Prospect to watch: A.J. Puk
Winter report card: B
Projected Lineup
| ORDER | PLAYER | POS. | PROJ. WAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mark Canha | LF | 2.0 |
| 2 | Ramon Laureano | CF | 2.7 |
| 3 | Matt Chapman | 3B | 4.8 |
| 4 | Matt Olson (L) | 1B | 3.0 |
| 5 | Sean Murphy | C | 2.4 |
| 6 | Mitch Moreland (L) | DH | 0.1 |
| 7 | Tony Kemp (L) | 2B | 0.7 |
| 8 | Stephen Piscotty | RF | 1.0 |
| 9 | Elvis Andrus | SS | 1.4 |
Bench
| PLAYER | POS. | PROJ. WAR |
|---|---|---|
| Aramis Garcia | C | 0.1 |
| Jed Lowrie (S) | IF | 0.1 |
| Chad Pinder | IF/OF | 0.8 |
| Ka'ai Tom (L) | OF | 0.0 |
The A's looks like contenders again despite losing Marcus Semien in free agency and trading Khris Davis to the Rangers for Andrus, who takes over at short. Along with the dynamic duo of Chapman and Olson, Oakland employs a rising star behind the plate in Murphy and underrated talents in Laureano and Canha. Lowrie and Moreland should be great for the Athletics' clubhouse and could provide the sort of low-cost value that's become synonymous with the franchise.
Projected Rotation
| PITCHER | PROJ. IP | PROJ. ERA |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Bassitt | 176 | 4.38 |
| Jesus Luzardo (L) | 151 | 3.75 |
| Sean Manaea (L) | 161 | 4.23 |
| Frankie Montas | 145 | 4.18 |
| Daulton Jefferies | 66 | 4.22 |
Bullpen
| PITCHER | PROJ. IP | PROJ. ERA |
|---|---|---|
| Trevor Rosenthal | 62 | 3.63 |
| Jake Diekman (L) | 67 | 3.43 |
| Sergio Romo | 63 | 4.75 |
| Lou Trivino | 62 | 4.28 |
| J.B. Wendelken | 59 | 4.07 |
| Yusmeiro Petit | 70 | 4.75 |
| Adam Kolarek (L) | 53 | 3.87 |
| Cole Irvin (L) | 54 | 4.50 |
Oakland's rotation finished middle of the pack in several categories last season, but it should benefit from full campaigns from talented youngsters Luzardo and Puk. The Athletics' bullpen should be strong once again, with Rosenthal replacing the departed Liam Hendriks while Romo and Kolarek add depth to a group that ranked fifth in ERA and seventh in fWAR in 2020.
Seattle Mariners
2020 record: 27-33 (3rd)
Payroll: $91M
O/U win total: 71-91
World Series odds: +13500
3-year trend: 2018 (3rd); 2019 (5th); 2020 (3rd)
Highest projected WAR: J.P. Crawford (2.6)
X-factor: James Paxton
Key injuries: Ken Giles, Shed Long Jr., Andres Munoz
Prospect to watch: Jarred Kelenic (MLB.com: No. 4)
Winter report card: B
Projected Lineup
| ORDER | PLAYER | POS. | PROJ. WAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mitch Haniger | RF | 1.5 |
| 2 | Dylan Moore | 2B | 0.6 |
| 3 | Kyle Lewis | CF | 1.6 |
| 4 | Kyle Seager (L) | 3B | 2.1 |
| 5 | Ty France | DH | 1.0 |
| 6 | Tom Murphy | C | 0.9 |
| 7 | Taylor Trammell (L) | LF | -0.2 |
| 8 | Evan White | 1B | 0.7 |
| 9 | J.P. Crawford (L) | SS | 2.6 |
Bench
| PLAYER | POS. | PROJ. WAR |
|---|---|---|
| Luis Torrens | C | 0.6 |
| Sam Haggerty (S) | IF/OF | 0.4 |
| Jose Marmolejos (L) | 1B/OF | 0.0 |
The Mariners return much of last season's lineup as they continue to develop a young core led by 2020 AL Rookie of the Year Lewis and defensive wizard Crawford. Trammell should also get his first crack playing above Double-A. The 23-year-old is an electric talent with speed for days and has looked spectacular in spring camp (.388 OBP, 1.016 OPS).
Projected Rotation
| PITCHER | PROJ. IP. | PROJ. ERA |
|---|---|---|
| Marco Gonzales (L) | 180 | 4.50 |
| James Paxton (L) | 133 | 4.03 |
| Chris Flexen | 103 | 4.09 |
| Justus Sheffield (L) | 149 | 4.49 |
| Yusei Kikuchi (L) | 158 | 4.21 |
| Justin Dunn | 112 | 5.29 |
Bullpen
| PITCHER | PROJ IP. | PROJ. ERA |
|---|---|---|
| Rafael Montero | 63 | 4.01 |
| Kendall Graveman | 63 | 4.18 |
| Anthony Misiewicz (L) | 62 | 3.95 |
| Casey Sadler | 52 | 4.52 |
| Keynan Middleton | 56 | 4.35 |
| Drew Steckenrider | 10 | 4.45 |
| Will Vest | 28 | 4.56 |
| Nick Margevicius (L) | 37 | 4.68 |
Seattle's stable of starting lefties grew this offseason after the team reunited with Paxton following his two-year stopover with the Yankees. Paxton has incredible swing-and-miss stuff when healthy and should provide depth for a six-man group that features another new addition in Flexen. The Mariners' bullpen landed some power arms in Montero and Middleton, and both could close games at various points throughout the year.
Texas Rangers
2020 record: 22-38 (5th)
Payroll: $99M
O/U win total: 67-95
World Series odds: +10000
3-year trend: 2018 (5th); 2019 (3rd); 2020 (5th)
Highest projected WAR: Joey Gallo (2.2)
X-factor: Joey Gallo
Key injuries: Brock Burke, Willie Calhoun, Khris Davis, Jonathan Hernandez, Joely Rodriguez, Jose Leclerc, Brett Martin
Prospect to watch: Josh Jung (MLB.com: No. 63)
Winter report card: B
Projected Lineup
| ORDER | PLAYER | POS. | PROJ. WAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isiah Kiner-Falefa | SS | 0.3 |
| 2 | David Dahl (L) | LF | -0.5 |
| 3 | Joey Gallo (L) | RF | 2.2 |
| 4 | Nick Solak | 2B | 1.2 |
| 5 | Nate Lowe (L) | DH | 0.8 |
| 6 | Jose Trevino | C | 0.2 |
| 7 | Ronald Guzman (L) | 1B | -0.2 |
| 8 | Brock Holt (L) | 3B | 0.0 |
| 9 | Leody Taveras (S) | CF | 0.2 |
Bench
| PLAYER | POS. | PROJ. WAR |
|---|---|---|
| Jonah Heim (S) | C | 0.5 |
| Adolis Garcia | OF | 0.0 |
| Eli White | OF | -0.5 |
| Charlie Culberson | IF/OF | 0.0 |
The Rangers' rebuild is in full swing after a disappointing 2020 campaign yielded a last-place finish. Texas' offense is built around Gallo, who should receive support from a couple of intriguing offseason additions in Dahl and Lowe. This team has a chance to hit a lot of homers.
Projected Rotation
| PITCHER | PROJ. IP | PROJ. ERA |
|---|---|---|
| Kyle Gibson | 174 | 4.68 |
| Kohei Arihara | 128 | 4.65 |
| Mike Foltynewicz | 128 | 5.53 |
| Jordan Lyles | 133 | 5.50 |
| Dane Dunning | 130 | 4.64 |
Bullpen
| PITCHER | PROJ. IP | PROJ. ERA |
|---|---|---|
| Ian Kennedy | 32 | 4.47 |
| Matt Bush | 60 | 4.55 |
| Josh Sborz | 58 | 4.40 |
| Taylor Hearn (L) | 89 | 4.31 |
| Brett de Geus | 44 | 5.35 |
| Kolby Allard (L) | 53 | 4.57 |
| Wes Benjamin (L) | 52 | 4.80 |
| John King (L) | 38 | 4.14 |
| Kyle Cody | 104 | 4.94 |
With the exceptions of Gibson and Lyles, it's a new-look rotation for the Rangers after they traded Lance Lynn during the offseason. The starting five offers promise, but it's riddled with question marks. Arihara has never pitched in the majors, Foltynewicz hasn't been effective in more than a year, and Dunning is unseasoned. The bullpen is also plagued with injuries to begin the season. Closer Leclerc, set-up man Hernandez, and Rodriguez are all sidelined, creating opportunities for the returning Bush and non-roster invite Kennedy.