MLB: AL West Preseason Division Predictions
By Matt Meffe
The AL West may be the tightest division in baseball. Three teams are already favored to make the playoffs, and the other two could surprise.
It’s February, and the MLB offseason is almost behind us. Looking back at everything that has happened, it’s safe to say that the most noise of the offseason came in the AL West. The Angels, Athletics, and Rangers all made small, beneficial moves this offseason. The Angels acquired Danny Espinosa from the Nationals, Martin Maldonado from the Brewers, Cameron Maybin from the Tigers, and Luis Valbuena and Ben Revere via free agency. The A’s went after outfielders Matt Joyce and Rajai Davis while also signing closer Santiago Casilla. The Rangers lost Ian Desmond via free agency. However, they signed several veteran names, which will surely add depth to the team.
The Mariners and Astros, however, made the most offseason noise. Seattle improved on all aspects, acquiring catcher Carlos Ruiz and infielders Danny Valencia and Jean Segura. In the outfield, Seattle also acquired Jarrod Dyson from the Royals. Finally, the Mariners received pitching help in the form of Yovani Gallardo, Marc Rzepczynski, and Drew Smyly.
Meanwhile, the Astros also improved their offense in the form of catcher Brian McCann, and outfielders Carlos Beltran, Nori Aoki, and Josh Reddick. Both teams have drastically improved in a short amount of time, and are set to battle it out for the division crown in 2017. Tough competition is expected from the Rangers while the A’s and Angels may also surprise. The AL West is going to be a tight division, regardless.