AL West Division Race Heating Up - Astros Lead the Way

Current AL West Standings

The American League West division features some of the most exciting teams in Major League Baseball. With the 2023 season underway, the race for the division title and playoff spots is already heating up. Here is a look at the current AL West standings as the teams battle it out.

Houston Astros Setting the Pace

The Houston Astros have established themselves as one of the premier franchises in baseball. As defending World Series champions, they have continued their winning ways in 2023 and are setting the pace in the AL West.

Behind an explosive offense featuring Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, and Kyle Tucker, the Astros are off to an impressive start. Their pitching staff has also delivered with stars like Justin Verlander and Framber Valdez leading the rotation. As of now, the Astros have opened up a sizable lead in the division.

Seattle Mariners Chasing the Leaders

After ending their lengthy postseason drought last season, the Seattle Mariners are looking to build off that success. With young sensation Julio Rodriguez spurring them on, the Mariners are right on the heels of the first-place Astros.

The addition ofstarting pitcher Luis Castillo at the trade deadline last year paid dividends for Seattle down the stretch in 2022. He has teamed up with Robbie Ray to give the Mariners a powerful one-two punch. If their bats can back up the pitching, this team could push Houston all year long.

Texas Rangers Making Moves

Fueled by a blockbuster spending spree, the Texas Rangers are determined to be factors in the AL West after recent struggles. Bringing in stars like Jacob deGrom and Corey Seager signals the Rangers mean business.

Although they have plenty of ground to make up after several losing seasons, these additions make Texas much more competitive. Young phenom Josh Jung has also brought excitement and optimism for the future. It may take some time for the Rangers to gel, but the talent is there to climb the standings.

Los Angeles Angels Still Searching for Consistency

As they have for much of the last decade, big things were expected from the Los Angeles Angels entering 2023. With MLB stars Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani leading the roster, the potential is always there. But the Angels have yet to put it all together.

Injuries have once again hampered LA in the early going. Getting Trout and Anthony Rendon fully healthy is critical if the Angels want to make a run. The unpredictable pitching staff also needs to step up their performance. There is still time for the Angels to shake off a sluggish start and get rolling.

Oakland Athletics Focused on Rebuilding

Unlike the other contenders in the division, the Oakland Athletics are not expected to be in the mix this season. After trading away most of their top stars over the last two years, the A's are focused on a major rebuild.

Developing young prospects is the priority right now for Oakland. With limited established talent on the big league roster, the growing pains have been evident in the early part of 2023. But stockpiling draft picks and talent will hopefully pay off down the road. For now, the A's will likely remain at the bottom of the AL West.

Wide Open Race Taking Shape

The first few weeks of the 2023 season have shown that the AL West figures to have one of the most hotly contested division races in baseball. The Astros will be difficult to unseat as defending champions, but the Mariners appear up to the challenge while the Rangers are hoping their offseason push pays immediate dividends.

Meanwhile, the Angels have the talent to shake off their sluggish start. And you can't count out the A's young prospects emerging ahead of schedule. With only a few games separating the teams so far, the AL West standings should remain very tight throughout the summer months.

Every game will carry major implications with how bunched up the teams are at the moment. Sitting atop the division come September promises to be a battle that goes right down to the wire. Buckle up for a thrilling ride as the AL West upstarts try to take down the established Astros.