When will it end? Is this the year that some team gets it together and takes them down? Of course, I’m referencing the back-to-back World Series champs Los Angeles Dodgers. They’ve dominated the league the past two seasons. Toronto came close to dethroning them in the World Series last year, but no dice. Can another team take them down this year? Let’s see. Here’s our 2026 AL West preview.
What Happened in 2025:
The Mariners finally broke through; can you believe it? For the first time since 2021, a team not named the Houston Astros won the AL West. For the first time since 2001, it was the Mariners. They didn’t just win the West; they marched to the ALCS where they went toe-to-toe with the Blue Jays in seven games but ultimately lost the series. Houston still pulled out an 87-win season. The Rangers won 81 games and moved on from Bruce Bochy after the season, hiring Skip Schumacher. The Athletics moved to Sacramento and showed legit signs of promise, and the Angels parted ways with Ron Washington after a 72-win season where he dealt with health issues. They brought in Kurt Suzuki to lead them.
Best Players to Watch:
Astros – Hunter Brown – The rotation is in his hands now with the departure of Framber Valdez and he showed legit Cy Young potential a year ago.
Rangers – Wyatt Langford – His second season was up and down but there is obviously loads of talent that is to be tapped into with Langford, and this could be the breakout season.
Mariners – Cal Raleigh – Can he replicate the season he had a year ago or was that more of a one-hit wonder situation? He hit 60 home runs in 2025.
Athletics – Lawrence Butler – He got the huge extension for the A’s this offseason which was shocking but warranted with his 22 home runs in limited action.
Angels – Mike Trout – The Angles are forever doomed, but there is no real way to pencil in another name here. It’s shocking Trout is still with the team to begin with as they tank year after year.
Biggest Addition and Subtraction:
There weren’t a ton of notable additions in the AL West this offseason but one move that caught my eye was the Mariners trade for Brendan Donovan. He won’t have the pop that Eugenio Suarez had but he is a guy that can hit for average and adds a Gold Glove to their infield.
The major subtraction from the division is Framber Valdez who was an ace with the Astros for years. He waited deep into the offseason to finally sign with the Tigers, and the Astros will now rely on youth to replace him. The Mariners also let Eugenio Suarez move on.
Division Winner:
The Mariners will get another divisional crown after winning for the first time since 2021. They continue to add on to their success. Mariners, 91-71