Houston Astros
The Astros are always a playoff contender, but they did lose more than just Bregman over the last few months. Yusei Kikuchi, Justin Verlander, Ryan Pressly, and Kyle Tucker are all gone. Tucker and Bregman are two of the biggest substractions. Both were key cogs for this franchise for many years and it leaves a hole in the heart of the Houston lineup. Jose Altuve and Lance McCullers Jr. are the only remaining members from the 2017 World Series roster. Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, and Yainer Diaz will lead the offense, while Christian Walker should prove to be a solid addition as well. On the mound, it’s Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez leading the rotation. Houston has +160 odds to win the AL West at Sports Interaction.
Texas Rangers
The Rangers had a World Series hangover last season. It was so bad they didn’t even finish above .500, posting a 78-84 record and missing the playoffs by a mile. However, Texas has more than enough talent to be back in contention. Jacob deGrom appears to be healthy again and when he’s at 100%, the veteran is absolutely electrifying on the hill. Nathan Eovaldi signed a new deal and will return, serving as the No. 2 behind deGrom. Offensively, Corey Seager, Marcus Semien, Evan Carter, and Joc Pederson will be relied upon. Most of their offseason moves centered around pitching, bringing in a plethora of different arms. While they may not be a World Series contender, Texas should be in the playoff mix. They have the second-best AL West odds at MLB betting sites.
Seattle Mariners
Mariners fans aren’t too happy with their ball club’s front office because it was very clear last season that Seattle needed offensive help to complement their electric rotation. Instead of addressing that need, the M’s failed to make a big move. The Mariners hit just .224 as a group last season and finished with an 85-77 record. Luis Urias and Justin Turner didn’t return but they did re-sign Jorge Polanco. Again, Seattle has a legit rotation but they simply do not get enough run support. That’s not to say they can’t compete with the Astros and Rangers for the AL West title, but they need big years from Julio Rodriguez, Cal Raleigh, and Randy Arozarena, who struggled when he came over in a midseason trade.
Athletics, Angels nowhere to be found
The Athletics are awaiting their move to Las Vegas but remain in a full rebuild. Nothing is expected of them in ‘25 with mostly young players on their roster. Another last-place finish in the AL West could certainly be in play. As for the Angels, they can’t seem to turn it around, either. However, some intriguing pieces joined this offseason, including Kikuchi, Jorge Soler, Kyle Hendricks, Travis D’Arnaud, and Tim Anderson. Perhaps LA could get out of the gutter this season.
