Athletics
2025 record 76-86 (4th place, AL West)
He gone: OF JJ Bleday, RHP Oswaldo Bido, C Willie MacIver, LHP Sean Newcomb, INF Max Schuemann, RHP Mitch Spence
New faces: RHP Scott Barlow, RHP Aaron Civale, UTL Andy Ibanez, RHP Mark Leiter Jr., 2B/LF Jeff McNeil
Biggest question entering Opening Day: The Athletics are all about being competitive when they begin play in Las Vegas in 2028, but the club has enough talent to top .500 this season if the starting pitching takes a step forward. RHP Luis Severino openly criticized the home digs in West Sacramento last season — he was 2-9 with a 6.01 ERA in 15 starts at the ballpark — and he needs to have a much better attitude about it this year as the club’s top pitcher. LHPs Jeffrey Springs and Jacob Lopez are streaky but highly effective when performing well. The Athletics have young stars in 1B Nick Kurtz (2025 Rookie of the Year), SS Jacob Wilson (Rookie of the Year runner-up), LF Tyler Soderstrom and RF Lawrence Butler to go with veterans such as two-time All-Star DH Brent Rooker, C Shea Langeliers and offseason acquisition McNeil, the 2022 National League batting champion.
2026 Outlook: The Athletics were crushed by a 3-24 stretch during a 29-day span early last season, and the rest of the campaign was focused on development. While the future remains more important than the present, the A’s have the type of offense that can outscore opponents. However, the team needs better pitching before it can seriously think about the playoffs.
Houston Astros
2025 record 87-75 (2nd place, AL West)
He gone: C Victor Caratini, INF Mauricio Dubon, RHP Luis Garcia, OF Chas McCormick, OF Jacob Melton, OF Jesus Sanchez, LHP Framber Valdez
New faces: SS Nick Allen, RHP Mike Burrows, RHP Tatsuya Imai, OF Joey Loperfido, RHP Nate Pearson, RHP Ryan Weiss
Biggest question entering Opening Day: Houston has RHPs Hunter Brown and Cristian Javier at the top of the rotation but will badly miss workhorse Valdez, who exited as a free agent. Houston traded for Burrows from the Pittsburgh Pirates, and he will be heavily counted on, as will Imai, an import from Japan who will turn 28 in May and had a 1.92 ERA and five complete games for the Seibu Lions last season. Injury-prone RHP Lance McCullers is slated to be in the rotation but has made just 63 appearances (60 starts) over the last seven seasons. Offensively, SS Carlos Correa needs to regain the form of his first Houston stint (2015-21). He was a big disappointment for most of his 3 1/2 seasons with the Minnesota Twins and had just six homers in 200 at-bats after the Astros reacquired him last season.
2026 Outlook: The Astros missed the postseason last year after eight straight appearances (including two World Series titles) and will have to fight for a berth this season. Keeping slugger Yordan Alvarez healthy (48 games in 2025) will be a big key as Houston missed his power bat after he topped 30 homers in each of the previous four seasons.
Los Angeles Angels
2025 record 72-90 (5th place, AL West)
He gone: LHP Tyler Anderson, RHP Brock Burke, LHP Andrew Chafin, RHP Kyle Hendricks, RHP Kenley Jansen, 3B Anthony Rendon, INF Luis Rengifo, OF Taylor Ward
New faces: 2B Vaughn Grissom, OF Josh Lowe, RHP Alek Manoah, LHP Drew Pomeranz, RHP Grayson Rodriguez, RHP Jordan Romano, LHP Brent Suter, RHP Kirby Yates
Biggest question entering Opening Day: Let’s say it all together: Can Mike Trout remain healthy? Oh, no, not that one. This one: Will Trout ever play like last decade’s version of himself? He played in 130 games last season after playing in 82 or fewer games in three of the previous four full campaigns. Trout batted just .232 in 2025, with 178 strikeouts, a meager 64 RBIs and a .439 slugging percentage, well off his .628 or higher mark in each year from 2017-19. He hit 26 homers last season. The Angels have moved him back to center field, too. For Trout, 34, expectations can be for another year like last season. A team that was inconsistent on offense traded OF Taylor Ward (career-best 36 homers) for Rodriguez in hopes of shoring up the pitching behind reliable RHP Jose Soriano and LHP Yusei Kikuchi.
2026 Outlook: The Angels haven’t qualified for the postseason since 2014 — when they were swept by the Kansas City Royals — and the only folks feeling they’ll get there this year likely are people employed by the club. Los Angeles has some good young players in SS Zach Neto, C Logan O’Hoppe and RF Jo Adell, but there isn’t enough talent or pitching to compete with the top teams in the division.
Seattle Mariners
2025 record 90-72 (1st place, AL West)
He gone: LHP Caleb Ferguson, C Harry Ford, RHP Jackson Kowar, LUP Gregory Santos, 3B Eugenio Suarez, LHP Trent Thornton, 3B Ben Williamson
New faces: INF Brendan Donovan, LHP Jose Ferrer, C Andrew Knizner, OF Rob Refsnyder
Biggest question entering Opening Day: The Mariners fell one loss short of reaching the World Series for the first time in franchise history, and expectations are high this year. The person who most needs to deliver is C Cal Raleigh, as in this: Can he come close to his historic 60-homer, 125-RBI effort from last season? Somehow, 35 homers and 90 RBIs would seem like a letdown. Re-signing Josh Naylor, who excelled in the postseason, also was a big plus, as was the trade to obtain Brendan Donovan. Julio Rodriguez has two 30-homer, 30-steal campaigns in his four MLB seasons, but the Mariners need him to trim his strikeouts (152 last season). The rotation — led by RHPs Logan Gilbert and Luis Castillo — remains among the best in the majors, and shutdown closer Andres Munoz (38 saves) is ultra-reliable.
2026 Outlook: Seattle reached the American League Championship Series three times between 1995-2001 and then didn’t make the playoffs for 21 years. So last season’s success has created Seahawks-like enthusiasm that another deep run is on the agenda. The Mariners appear to have the best team in the AL West and should easily be part of the playoffs. Returning to the ALCS is a possibility.
Texas Rangers
2025 record 81-81 (3rd place, AL West)
He gone: RHP Shawn Armstrong, LHP Patrick Corbin, LHP Danny Coulombe, OF Adolis Garcia, RHP Jon Gray, C Jonah Heim, RHP Merrill Kelly, RHP Tyler Mahle, RHP Phil Maton, LHP Hoby Milner, 2B Marcus Semien, 1B Rowdy Tellez, RHP Jacob Webb
New faces: RHP Tyler Alexander, LHP Jalen Beeks, LHP MacKenzie Gore, C Danny Jansen, RHP Jakob Junis, RHP Chris Martin, LHP Jordan Montgomery, OF Brandon Nimmo
Biggest question entering Opening Day: Texas moved on from key 2023 World Series title cogs Garcia and Semien, and even manager Bruce Bochy agreed it was time for a change and parted ways with the club. Skip Schumaker is his replacement. Keeping SS Corey Seager healthy has been a chore, and Texas isn’t going to compete for a playoff spot if he plays in just 102 games again. The five-time All-Star has missed 142 games over the past three seasons. Seager needs new running mates after the offseason housecleaning, and OFs Wyatt Langford (team-best 22 homers in 2025) and Nimmo (average of 24 HRs over the best three seasons) are the best bets. Trading for Gore gives Texas a nice big three in the rotation along with RHPs Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi. Two-time Cy Young Award winner deGrom made 30 starts last season, his highest work rate since 2019.
2026 Outlook: The Rangers could be a contender if Seager rakes and deGrom dominates, but they also could be a middling team like last season. Texas has largely revamped the pitching staff, especially the bullpen, but will remain a team that relies on offense. That leaves the Rangers likely competing for the final AL wild-card spot.
–Field Level Media
