AL West Power Rankings and Preview for 2026

Top 10 Pitchers in the AL West

5. Los Angeles Angels

2025 Record: 72-90, Finished 5th in the AL West

Projected Opening Day Starting Lineup

Notable Depth/Bench

C Travis d’Arnaud, INF Jeimer Candelario, INF Oswald Peraza, OF Bryan Teodosio

Contrary to coming in fifth place, both last year and in this year’s preseason rankings, there’s a lot to like about this Los Angeles Angels lineup.

Sure, some of it is the allure of the past. Center fielder Mike Trout, though not the same MVP-level player anymore, is still capable of great things at the heart of the order. Beyond him, there’s the 2021 World Series MVP Jorge Soler, the former top prospect in baseball in Yoán Moncada, and their rising star at shortstop in Zach Neto.

It feels taboo to suggest this team “belongs” to anybody but Trout, but Neto continues to surge as the years go on. Couple that with Trout declining, both physically and on the field, and the Angels are slowly transitioning to Neto’s team — at least on offense.

Now, the bottom of the order leaves some to be desired. After Adell, who hit 37 homers last year, in the six-hole, the bottom third doesn’t promise a lot of success. The Angels have been waiting for O’Hoppe to break out. While he flashed potential at the plate in 2023 and 2024, he regressed mightily in 2025.

This is a big year for the 26-year-old backstop.

All told, there’s a world where this lineup surprises the baseball world and finishes in the top half of the league in wRC+. However, there are too many health risks involving key players to count on it for 162 games.

Projected Starting Rotation

Similar to the lineup, there’s promise in this rotation.

José Soriano especially is exciting. Last year was a very good one for him despite the 4.26 ERA. He made 31 starts, posted 3.0 fWAR, improved his under-the-hood metrics, and generated ground balls at a 65.3% rate.

Does him anchoring this rotation set the Angels up for a successful season? Not likely, but he’s a promising young right-hander nonetheless.

Behind him is the veteran Yusei Kikuchi, going into his second year of a three-year deal with the Halos. He’s another guy who has more than meets the eye, but last year he regressed both in command and strikeout proficiency.

Kikuchi very well could be the Angels’ best starter this year, and not because Soriano disappoints.

Like O’Hoppe in the lineup, this feels like a potential last gasp for Reid Detmers. We learned last year he can hack it at the MLB level, but he did it as a reliever. Entering 2026, he’s won a spot in the rotation again despite a lackluster spring. Though reassuring to know he has a home in the bullpen if he struggles, it’d mean a great deal to the Angels if he broke out in his age-26 campaign as well.

Jack Kochanowicz and Ryan Johnson round out the rotation on Opening Day, but the exciting arm to watch moving forward is someone opening the year on the injured list: Grayson Rodriguez.

The Angels landed Rodriguez in a surprise trade with the Baltimore Orioles this offseason. Despite missing all of 2025, the baseball world seemed shocked the Orioles, hungry for starting pitching, viewed one year of Taylor Ward worth the potential that four more years of Rodriguez could mean.

He flashed in camp, with his velocity inching towards triple digits at times. Unfortunately, that didn’t linger and he ultimately got hurt. His camp also wasn’t spectacular from a results standpoint, as he walked 10 batters in 12.2 innings of work.

That said, if he comes back and can return to the pre-2025 version of himself, that changes the trajectory of this Angels staff on a dime.

Projected Bullpen

Schematically, this bullpen would’ve rocked in like 2021. Drew Pomeranz, Kirby Yates, and Brent Suter provide more than just on-field production, as they are also rife with institutional knowledge. After a promising spring training, so does former Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Jordan Romano.

Beyond them, Ryan Zeferjahn looks to return to the version of himself that flourished in 17 innings in 2024. His command is pretty touch-and-go, such is the life of a reliever, but it bit him with gusto in 2025 despite an uptick in strikeouts as well.

Outlook

While there’s a lot to like about this group, there’s likely not enough to sustain winning in 2026. It’s probably for the best if they don’t anyway, and move off some of these veterans at the deadline for prospects.

In a perfect world, we’re looking at a second half full of Christian Moore getting more comfortable at the MLB level alongside potentially a first-time All-Star in Neto. Maybe we even get to see some of Vaughn Grissom, who is eager to prove he’s worthy of MLB opportunity after falling out of favor in two years with the Boston Red Sox.

4. Athletics

2025 Record: 76-86, Finished 4th in the AL West

Projected Opening Day Starting Lineup

There’s a real argument that the Athletics have one of the five best lineups in the sport. While some of its production may be considered a mirage thanks to playing in a bandbox in Sacramento, there’s no denying the talent of this top six.

Reigning American League Rookie of the Year Nick Kurtz leading off, possessing elite power and feel for the strike zone, even if there’s some striking out in his game. He’s the tip of the iceberg.

Behind him lies 86 home runs in 2025 between Shea Langeliers, Tyler Soderstrom, and Brent Rooker. Then you get to Jacob Wilson, who is a pest, and a national favorite thanks to monster home runs and an electric personality, Lawrence Butler.

Butler was a common pick to breakout in 2025. While he overall had a fine campaign, it left the world wanting more. If he’s able to ratchet it up another notch and realize his potential, there’s potentially six bats in this A’s lineup that could muster a 115 or better wRC+ in 2026.

Jeff McNeil gives them stability at the bottom of the order. He may not be the elite-level bat he was several years ago with the Mets, but he knows his way around a tough at-bat. Not only that, but he’s also the lone member of this A’s lineup with postseason experience.

Maybe those aspirations are premature this year, but it’s hard not to dream big with a lineup like that.

Notable Depth/Bench

C Austin Wynns, INF Darell Hernaiz, UTL Andy Ibáñez, OF Carlos Cortes

Overall, this is a fine corps of backups for an MLB team. The one to keep an eye on, however, is Andy Ibáñez. He didn’t have a strong 2025 with Detroit, but the 33-year-old utilityman had a 118 wRC+ against southpaws in 2023 and a 129 against them in 2024.

That, coupled with versatility, and there’s a strong platoon opportunity there with Ibáñez and one of McNeil, Butler, or Soderstrom any given day.

Projected Starting Rotation

This is where the helium gets lost on the Athletics bandwagon.

That said, if Luis Severino is anywhere close to the arm he was in the World Baseball Classic, there should be less pause about him as the team’s ace. After finishing 2025 strong, it was a big offseason for the 32-year-old. With every passing season, he gets further and further away from the title of injury prone he was labeled with as his New York Yankees career dwindled.

Now, he’s somewhat bucked that trend. Now, it’s a matter of returning to that All-Star level. Or at least be borderline. The arm he flashed in the WBC, even if only in spurts, was the first we’ve seen of that Severino — not that he’s been bad in MLB — since pre-COVID.

Jeffrey Springs and Aaron Civale are tasked with eating up innings. The lefty Springs struggled for large portions of 2025 but was one of the better lefties in the league with Tampa Bay. If he can recapture some of that production, there’s hope for this rotation.

Projected Bullpen

If the rotation caused a drop in helium, the bullpen does so even more. There’s no reason the A’s should regret acquiring a top infield prospect like Leo De Vries, but imagining this pitching staff with Mason Miller could make a grown man cry.

As for what the Athletics do have in-house, there’s a lot of wild cards.

Nick Anderson in low-leverage relief being one, as he’s struggled to put it together since 2023 with the Braves; before that, due to injury, 2020 with the Rays. He was once one of the better right-handed relievers in the sport, but now he’s hanging on. He posted a 3.86 ERA in 9.1 innings in spring training, but he also allowed two home runs.

Mark Leiter Jr. is another wild card. He was one of the most fun relievers with the Chicago Cubs but struggled to stay consistently productive and available once he got to the Bronx. He’s someone who could feasibly lead the league in holds, with a smattering of saves to boot. But entering the year, there’s not a whole lot of sure-fire production in this Athletics bullpen.

Outlook

This team will be fun and may hang around the wild-card race longer than most expect. That said, they’re a year, maybe two away from being a real contender.

It would’ve been nice to see them take a swing on a marquee starter this offseason just to see how close they really are. It didn’t have to be someone the caliber of Dylan Cease, but could they have been a player in Michael King’s market? Zac Gallen’s? How about still free agent right-hander Lucas Giolito?

This team may win 80 games, but they’ll be a social media editor’s dream offense.

3. Houston Astros

2025 Record: 87-75, Finished 2nd in the AL West

Projected Opening Day Starting Lineup

This lineup really hedges on three things.

One, Cam Smith’s development. If he’s even the bat he was across 45 spring training plate appearances, there’s hope for this lineup being very good. If he’s closer to who he was in 2025, a 90-wRC+ bat, there’s not a whole lot of potential to this group. There’s still a reasonably high floor, but the ceiling isn’t much higher.

Second, Christian Walker’s second year in Houston. He left a lot to be desired in year one and was very uninspiring in camp as well. That said, he’s only a year removed from a 120 wRC+ and two years removed from his second consecutive 30-homer season. Even though he turns 35 on March 28, he’s capable of being productive.

Third, health is wealth. Carlos Correa was really fun to watch back in Houston after the deadline last year. Unfortunately, he’s not someone super reliable to remain on the field. Maybe it’s a matter of when he’s on the field as opposed to the amount he’s on the field, but he’s got to play.

Same goes for Jose Altuve. He’s played all but 16 games the past two years, but he’s 36 on May 6. Can he continue bouncing back every single day at an elite level and remain productive?

Same goes for Yordan Alvarez, who had a rocky camp but is one of the most feared hitters in baseball when he’s out there. Last year, he played just 48 games but still managed a .367 on-base and a .393 expected wOBA. They need him, and they need him badly.

Notable Depth/Bench

C César Salazar, INF Nick Allen, UTL Brice Matthews, OF Zach Cole

Matthews looked promising in camp, but if there’s any further argument on the importance of health for this Astros lineup, look no further than the bench.

Not that these players are not big-league caliber, there’s just a dramatic drop off from the likes of Altuve, Alvarez, and Correa to Nick Allen, Zach Cole, and Brice Matthews.

Projected Starting Rotation

This rotation is truly Hunter Brown and a dream until further notice. Tatsuya Imai had virtually no reported market all winter and landed with the Astros on a pretty organizational-friendly deal. His stuff is promising, and he looked really nice in six spring innings, but he’s very much an unknown at this juncture.

Speaking of unknowns, remember when neither Cristian Javier nor Lance McCullers Jr. were unknowns? These two once looked like long-term mainstays in this Astros rotation. They kind of were, but not in the way you’d have thought half a decade ago.

Both are oft injured, and neither have provided a whole lot on the field when they’ve been healthy in recent years.

Mike Burrows looked awesome in camp and has one of the best changeups in professional baseball. Last year, opponents hit just .147 against it with a 43.1% whiff rate. If he can get a little more success against the fastball, he could emerge as potentially this team’s second-best starter.

Projected Bullpen

At full health, this bullpen should be a strength of the Astros. Josh Hader, Bryan Abreu, Bryan King, Steven Okert, and Nate Pearson give this group five arms who could provide high-leverage outs if needed.

That said, Hader didn’t even pitch in camp, neither did Pearson. The latter was “slowed down” on his throwing program after feeling elbow soreness in early March.

Again, if healthy, this should be a good bullpen. As constructed on Opening Day, their pitching staff will likely need the rotation to step up in the innings department.

Outlook

This is hardly a bad roster, but it’s hard to see a postseason pathway for this group with the pitching staff as constructed.

After the 2025 season brought the Astros their first non-postseason campaign since 2016, a lot of talk circling them coming into the year was how talented they still are. It’s true, they have a talented group, but that talent can only bring you so far if preserving leads looks like a potential major flaw before the year even begins.

Entering the 2026 season, there’s nowhere else Houston could rank amongst the division power rankings than third.

2. Texas Rangers

2025 Record: 81-81, Finished 3rd in the AL West

Projected Opening Day Starting Lineup

It feels like we’ve been saying this for years, but this is a solid Texas Rangers lineup on paper. Having Corey Seager does wonders for elevating one’s perception of a lineup, but they did a nice job adding to this group while also being mindful of their payroll situation.

The Marcus Semien-for-Brandon Nimmo swap helps a lot, as it gives the Rangers a legitimate leadoff hitter with power and a tendency to take ball four. Not only him ahead of Seager, but Wyatt Langford also is a budding star who seems on the precipice of greatness.

Jake Burger, Josh Smith, Josh Jung, and the Joc Pederson- Andrew McCutchen platoon lengthens the lineup really well too, as does the addition of Danny Jansen as another backstop.

That leaves Evan Carter, who blossomed into a core piece of that 2023 World Series team, but has struggled to re-claim that success in the years since. If he can recapture that production in 2026, the Rangers have one of the deepest lineups in the American League, full stop.

Notable Depth/Bench

C Kyle Higashioka, UTL Ezequiel Duran, UTL Sam Haggerty

Kyle Higashioka could probably start on several teams. Having him as a secondary catcher gives the Rangers a strong catching tandem.

Beyond the backup catcher situation, they have premier versatility in utilitymen Ezequiel Duran and Sam Haggerty. Neither will set the world on fire offensively, but their value is in being an option at several positions each.

Projected Starting Rotation

Health will determine the success of this rotation. The rap sheet on Nathan Eovaldi and Jacob deGrom is what it is, but they’re still top-flight starters in this game when healthy.

deGrom finally had a fully healthy campaign in 2025, his first since 2019. He rewarded the Rangers with a 2.97 ERA across 172.2 innings. It wasn’t the same level of dominance we saw in his hey-day with the Mets, but he was awesome nonetheless.

Newcomer MacKenzie Gore checks in as the team’s No. 3 starter, and he could be one of the best three starters in the game if he puts together a full season. Not to mention Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker form quite a lethal group of five starters that could finish as one of the top pitching staffs in the American League this coming year.

Projected Bullpen

Even though the Rangers signed left-hander Jalen Beeks to an MLB contract two weeks ago, FanGraphs’ RosterResource has him opening the year in Triple-A and Jacob Latz in the MLB bullpen.

Be that as it may, the bullpen is a question mark for the Rangers entering the year. Sure, Chris Martin is one of the best bang-for-your-buck arms in baseball, and Robert Garcia had a strong 2025 campaign, but the middle-relief contingent is a bunch of unknowns.

Josh Sborz got the final out of the 2023 World Series, but he’s slated to make the team as a non-roster invitee after not pitching in 2025. Cole Winn was awesome in 2025 but is a reliever who relies a lot on batted-ball luck. Jacob Latz was also awesome last year, but as more of a swingman than a true reliever. Is he going to be multi-inning or used in leverage?

There are questions, but overall still a talented group for the Rangers.

Outlook

The Rangers have a strong roster going into 2026. Having missed the playoffs each of the past two years, they’re looking to return to the top of the baseball mountain.

While they’re not the best team in the AL West entering the year, they’ve got postseason pedigree up and down this roster, and are well deserving of their No. 2 ranking this March.

1. Seattle Mariners

2025 Record: 90-72, Finished 1st in the AL West

Projected Opening Day Starting Lineup

This lineup comes together a lot better when Crawford comes back, but essentially returning the same group that got you to the brink of a World Series berth is hardly a bad thing.

Their problem for a lot of last postseason was empty at-bats with runners in scoring position. Meanwhile, Jorge Polanco departed for the Mets and Eugenio Suárez for the Cincinnati Reds. Those two are being replaced by more Dominic Canzone and the addition of Brendan Donovan.

Donovan isn’t as valuable a hitter as Suárez, but he’s as steady as they come. He won’t be challenging the 30-homer threshold. In fact, the Mariners would be lucky to see him hit 20. But he commands the zone well and has great bat control.

Hitting him leadoff will give Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez many more RBI chances, and that’s going to pay huge dividends for this Mariners lineup.

Notable Depth/Bench

C Mitch Garver, UTL Ryan Bliss, 1B/OF Rob Refsnyder, OF Victor Robles

It’ll be fascinating the see how he does away from Fenway Park, but Rob Refsnyder elevates a bench to another level. Since 2022, he’s fifth among right-handed hitters — minimum 210 plate appearances — with a 155 wRC+ against southpaws. Platooning him with either Canzone or Raley will give the Mariners added life against the tough lefties of the American League.

Projected Starting Rotation

Is there anything really to say about this group? Their grouping of four starters at the top beats any other team in MLB, no questions asked.

Bryce Miller will be back reasonably soon from an oblique issue that limited him to 1.1 spring training innings. Once he’s back, this rotation will go back to being one of, if not the best in the league.

Once again, the M’s will rely heavily upon this rotation to carry them to the promised land.

Projected Bullpen

As far as high-leverage arms go, the Mariners are pretty set here as well. Their lower-leverage options aren’t up to the same level, but they’re intriguing. Two years ago, Vargas averaged 99.5 mph on his fastball and posted a 3.97 ERA in 2025.

Criswell was a valuable swingman for the Red Sox the past two years as well, often providing well above expectations as a starter. He did struggle out of the ‘pen for Boston, but as a bulk arm, he’s more than fine in this role for the Mariners.

Having arguably the best back-end bullpen trio in the sport certainly helps things. Andrés Muñoz is coming off a year in which he pitched to a sensational 1.73 ERA, Matt Brash has some seriously nasty stuff and can be a premier setup man, and Jose A. Ferrer is a prime breakout candidate for 2026 after being acquired for catching prospect Harry Ford this offseason.

This is a bullpen that finished middle of the pack in ERA last season, but there is certainly upside to dream on here.

Outlook

With a good lineup and an elite pitching staff, it’s no wonder the Mariners are expected to run the AL West again in 2026.

Can they get over the hump and represent the American League in the Fall Classic? That much remains to be seen. But in a league with many flawed teams, the Mariners are among the closest to flawless as one exists in the AL.