Six days and counting until league-wide Opening Day on March 27. With that, the race begins in what just might be the sport’s most competitive division in 2025.
We’ve already previewed the teams in the other five MLB divisions. Let’s conclude by breaking down the seasons ahead for the five squads in the American League West.
More previews by division: NL East | NL Central | NL West | AL East | AL Central
This embedded content is not available in your region.
[Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league for the 2025 MLB season]
Houston Astros
Projected record (per FanGraphs, as of March 21): 84-78, 54.0% odds to make the playoffs, 29.6% odds to win the division
What happened last year? It was an odd, up-and-down year in Houston. Despite a horrendous start to the season, the Astros were still able to chase down the Seattle Mariners to take the AL West crown for the seventh time in the past eight seasons. But for the first time since 2017, Houston failed to reach the ALCS, instead getting bounced in the wild-card round by the red-hot Detroit Tigers.
Best-case scenario: The major changes in Houston’s lineup are in the rearview, as an Astros offense led by José Altuve and Yordan Alvarez finds new life. Top prospect Cam Smith, acquired in the Kyle Tucker trade, makes an instant impact in the big leagues, and the lineup keeps churning with help from free-agent acquisition Christian Walker. Meanwhile, the rotation really takes a step up after going through a growth phase last season. Another year of experience for youngsters Spencer Arrighetti, Hunter Brown and Ronel Blanco, alongside ace Framber Valdez, proves to be the secret to once again making Houston a threat in October.
Worst-case scenario: The losses of Tucker and Alex Bregman loom large over the Astros, as their offense struggles to supplement those departures. Alvarez is once again unable to carry the offense by himself and finds himself back on the IL. The experiment with Altuve playing left field goes horribly wrong, as the career second baseman struggles to track down baseballs and takes adventurous routes that put himself and the team’s center fielder in danger. But the worst news is that the Astros’ long streak of reaching the postseason comes to an end, and Houston is left wondering if this team’s window of contention has officially closed.
Make-or-break player: Yordan Álvarez. It feels like we’ve been waiting for a while now for Alvarez to have the season in which he transforms himself into David Ortiz. While that’s a tall task, he has been one of baseball’s best hitters since he debuted in 2019, and he played in a career-high 147 games last season. And now more than ever, without the likes of Tucker and Bregman in the lineup, the Astros need Alvarez to carry them offensively. He’ll still have Altuve hitting in front of him and Walker hitting behind him, but this lineup needs his bat to be special and the dominant force we’ve come to expect.
Season prediction: There have been lots of changes in Houston over the past four years, with many monster names no longer present in the lineup. The departures of Bregman and Tucker are not insignificant, and when it’s all said and done, the void they left behind will be apparent. That said, it’s not like Houston has spiraled when pivoting before; there’s a reason they made it to the ALCS even after George Springer and Carlos Correa left in free agency. This team knows how to win, and even in a division that is tougher than it used to be, Houston will find a way to reach the postseason.
Seattle Mariners
Projected record: 85-77, 57.4% odds to make the playoffs, 33.4% odds to win the division
What happened last year? It was a year to forget in Seattle, as the team’s offense sputtered, led by a disappointing season from star Julio Rodriguez. The Mariners were one of the worst offenses in baseball history in terms of strikeouts and strikeout rate. Despite having ultra-elite starting pitching in Logan Gilbert, Luis Castillo, George Kirby, Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo, Seattle failed to reach the postseason, which led to the firing of bench coach/offensive coordinator Brant Brown and longtime manager Scott Servais.
Best-case scenario: Rodriguez looks like the superstar talent that he showed in his first two seasons and puts himself in the conversation for AL MVP. He gets help from the rest of Seattle’s lineup, as power-hitting catcher Cal Raleigh and last year’s deadline addition Randy Arozarena provide additional punch to help make Seattle one of the more explosive offenses in the sport. But the thing that puts the Mariners over the top is their starting rotation, which continues to be baseball’s best, not only allowing Seattle to hoist the AL West crown for the first time since 2001 but also powering a run to the ALCS.
Worst-case scenario: After a season in which they struggled mightily, Seattle’s offense continues to sputter, and with nobody left to fire, the blame falls at the feet of the offense, which has remained unchanged for the better part of the past three seasons. Rodriguez continues his history of first-half struggles and is unable to turn it on late in the season. Raleigh, Arozarena and the rest of Seattle’s lineup fall into the same rut they were stuck in last year. And after a season of good health in the rotation, the Mariners’ arms are unable to replicate last season’s success, and Seattle’s strength and depth are challenged as they miss the postseason again.
Make-or-break player: Julio Rodriguez. There are few players more important to their team’s success than J-Rod. He has so many tools and has shown that he has the ability to be an MVP-caliber player. But the two-time All-Star still needs to find some consistency, specifically getting off to fast starts to the season. J-Rod has a career .740 OPS in the first half and a .903 OPS in the second half. Rodriguez is too good to not return to All-Star form soon. If he can get some of that second-half juice going in April, it’ll be huge for this team’s chances in 2025.
Season prediction: Seattle is a team with many possible outcomes for this season. Do they hit? Do they not? Do they pitch well? Do their pitchers get hurt? With the Mariners, it’s best to evaluate what we know for sure. Their pitching is the best in baseball, and their offense didn’t change from last season to this one, except for the addition of Donovan Solano. So the hope here is for a big bounce-back from the offense with the rotation continuing to be one of baseball’s best. That’s a lot to ask, but Seattle will likely make the wild-card race interesting again in 2025.
Texas Rangers
Projected record: 84-78, 52.6% odds to make the playoffs, 28.9% odds to win the division
What happened last year? After winning it all in 2023, the Rangers struggled to stay healthy in 2024 and missed the postseason after a brutal World Series hangover. The biggest cause of Texas’ challenges was their inability to stay healthy. Much of their lineup had at least one stint on the injured list, and their starting pitching was also depleted by injuries.
Best-case scenario: The Rangers turn the page on their disappointing 2024 season and look more like the team that hoisted the World Series trophy in ‘23. The offense carries Texas to the AL West title, and what’s more, theirs is the best offense in baseball, as Marcus Semien, Corey Seager, Josh Jung, Adolis García and new additions Jake Burger and Joc Pederson find their groove again. Youngsters Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford stay healthy and add another dynamic to an explosive lineup. The Rangers not only reach the playoffs, but also, with a rejuvenated Jacob deGrom at the front of the rotation, Texas gets back to the World Series, with a shot to be champion for the second time in three seasons.
Worst-case scenario: Injuries go through the Rangers’ roster like a hot bowl of Texas chili, as their lineup is unable to make it through the 162-game season. Carter’s balky back continues to plague him, Seager has another bout of hamstring issues, and the biggest question of all, deGrom is still unable to complete a season in the team’s rotation. The injuries cost Texas big-time, as they once again are a nonfactor in a weaker AL West, and they miss the postseason for the second consecutive season.
Make-or-break player: Jacob deGrom. The Rangers have offense and plenty of it, but the biggest question for Texas’ 2025 season lies within their rotation, specifically with the health of two-time Cy Young Jacob deGrom. Since signing a five-year, $185 million deal with Texas, deGrom has made just nine starts after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery during his first year with the club and returning last September to make three starts. Health has been a question throughout deGrom’s career, but when healthy, he has been historically good. It’s unfair to expect sub-2.00 ERA deGrom to return this year, but if he can stay in the mid-3s and make 25 starts, the Rangers would take that any day of the week — especially if it means he’s pitching in October.
Season prediction: In a weaker season for the division as a whole, 2025 represents a good chance for the Rangers to get back to the top of the AL West. Not only that, but their lineup as currently assembled should be a top-five offense in the American League, with a good chance to be one of the best in MLB. Their season, maybe even more than other teams’, will rely on good health. Barring major injuries, the Rangers should be the favorites in the West this season, with a real chance to do damage in October.
Athletics
Projected record: 76-86, 13.0% odds to make the playoffs, 4.4% odds to win the division
What happened last year? 2024 was a big season of growth and development for the A’s. In their final season in Oakland, this team showed signs that the years of on-field lows had started to come to an end. Slugger Brent Rooker turned himself into a star, and the lineup took a big step forward, as Lawrence Butler, JJ Bleday and Shea Langeliers each played a part in the A’s having one of baseball’s best offenses in the second half.
Best-case scenario: The A’s do exactly what they showed in the second half of 2024, proving they’re ready to take a step forward and start winning. In a lineup built on power, Rooker, Butler, Bleday and Langeliers lead the A’s to a top-five finish in MLB in home runs. Rookie shortstop and 2023 first-round pick Jacob Wilson puts on an AL Rookie of the Year performance. The team’s revamped starting rotation, led by free-agent addition Luis Severino, gives the offense plenty of support as the A’s shock the American League and win the division for the first time in a full season since 2013.
Worst-case scenario: The glimmer of hope from 2024 proves to be fool’s gold, as the A’s young stars sputter to find their footing under the weight of higher expectations. The team’s starting pitching is unable to find productive innings beyond Severino. The A’s not only fail to build on their strong finish from last year but also are left wondering if they have a core for the future.
Make-or-break player: Lawrence Butler. It wasn’t all roses and rainbows for Butler last season. In fact, there were some serious struggles that led to him being sent to Triple-A. But after he returned, he had a new way about him, and with 20 homers in his final 79 games, he showed the type of player he can be. The A’s believed in Butler enough to give him a seven-year, $65.5 million extension this spring, and his ceiling in this organization is extremely high. If he hits, we could be talking about one of the most dynamic names in the American League at the top of the A’s lineup for the next seven years.
Season prediction: This feels like an A’s team on a mission — a mission to show people that they aren’t just a bunch of developing kids and that they can really make noise in the AL West. What’s more, they have the benefit of having one of the better managers in the AL in Mark Kotsay. In a division that looks very winnable for the first time in seven seasons, the A’s might not finish on top, but they’ll be in the midst of the wild-card chase all season.
Los Angeles Angels
Projected record: 76-86, 10.6% odds to make the playoffs, 3.7% odds to win the division
What happened last year? All you really need to know is that Mike Trout got hurt. Again. And the Angels wilted out of contention before the All-Star break. Again.
Best-case scenario: Trout finds the fountain of youth and turns back the clock to his days of being the world’s best player. He stays healthy for a full season for the first time since before the pandemic. His presence reenergizes the team, helping keep the Angels competitive for the duration of the season and playing games that matter in the second half — something that hasn’t happened in a while.
Worst-case scenario: Another season like the Angels have had the past four years, with Trout again failing to play in 120 games. That’s the worst case not only because of Trout’s importance to the Angels’ lineup but also from the psychological standpoint of the organization and player himself. At some point, you wonder how much a guy can take when it comes to his body failing him. For this year, another lengthy stint on the injured list for Trout would see the Angels’ season drift into the sunset.
Make-or-break player: Mike Trout. Trout is everything for the Angels. End of sentence. There is no way they can compete, win or even be in a relevant baseball conversation without the future Hall of Famer in the lineup every day. Yes, his body has failed him over the past five seasons, but if there’s any hope for him to stay healthy, it’s the idea that his move to right field will help save his body some additional wear and tear. Trout can still be an impact player, and when healthy, he’s still one of the best in the world.
Season prediction: The Angels were surprisingly active this winter, and though they didn’t make any earth-shattering moves, they did improve marginally. It’s tough to envision a world in which the Angels are in contention for the postseason, both because they don’t have enough from a talent perspective and because the rest of the American League is stronger. Their goal should be relevance and a healthy campaign from Trout.
