MLB Division Preview: Astros Lead the Way to Take the AL West Crown

This is the fourth of six divisional previews from Impact 89FM, stay tuned for the rest of the previews throughout the opening week of the MLB season.

Sports Illustrated predicted the Houston Astros to win the 2017 World Series, but could they be one year ahead of schedule?

Zachary Swiecicki, Zach Barnes, and Will Thiede breakdown the AL West. Are the Astros the unanimous favorite to win the division? The Angels have one of the best players in the entire league (Mike Trout), but where have they been?

The 2015 AL West divisional standings. Very close with the top three teams…not so close with the bottom two.

      MLB AL west preveiw (4-6)
Team W L W-L% GB
Texas Rangers 88 74 0.543
Houston Astros 86 76 0.531 2.0
Los Angeles Angels 85 77 0.525 3.0
Seattle Mariners 76 86 0.469 12.0
Oakland Athletics 68 94 0.420 20.0

 

This season’s AL West division could be shaken up.


Our 2016 NL West Projected Standings.

*American League lineups will be include the designated hitter*

1. Houston Astros

Rotation

1 Dallas Keuchel
2 Collin McHugh
3 Mike Fiers
4 Scott Feldman
5 Doug Fister

 

Opening Day Lineup

2B Jose Altuve
RF George Springer
SS Carlos Correa
LF Colby Rasmus
CF Carlos Gomez
3B Luis Valbuena
DH Preston Tucker
1B Tyler White
C Jason Castro

 

2. Texas Rangers

Rotation

1 Cole Hamels
2 Martin Perez
3 Colby Lewis
4 Derek Holland
5 A.J. Griffin

 

Opening Day Lineup

CF Delino DeShields
RF Shin-Soo Choo
DH Prince Fielder
3B Adrian Beltre
1B Mitch Moreland
LF Ian Desmond
2B Rougned Odor
SS Elvis Andrus
C Robinson Chirinos

 

3. Seattle Mariners

Rotation

1 Felix Hernandez
2 Hisashi Iwakuma
3 Wade Miley
4 Taijuan Walker
5 Nathan Karns

 

Opening Day Lineup

LF Nori Aoki
SS Ketel Marte
2B Robinson Cano
RF Nelson Cruz
3B Kyle Seager
DH Franklin Gutierrez
1B Adam Lind
C Chris Iannetta
CF Leonys Martin

 

4. Los Angeles Angels

Rotation

1 Garrett Richards
2 Jered Weaver
3 Hector Santiago
4 Matt Shoemaker
5 Nick Tropeano

 

Opening Day Lineup

3B Yunel Escobar
LF Daniel Nava
CF Mike Trout
DH Albert Pujols
RF Kole Calhoun
1B C.J. Cron
SS Andrelton Simmons
C Carlos Perez
2B Johnny Giavotella

 

5. Oakland Athletics

Rotation

1 Sonny Gray
2 Rich Hill
3 Chris Bassitt
4 Kendall Graveman
5 Eric Surkamp

 

Opening Day Lineup

CF Billy Burns
2B Jed Lowrie
RF Josh Reddick
3B Danny Valencia
LF Khris Davis
DH Billy Butler
1B Mark Canha
C Stephen Vogt
SS Marcus Semien