AL West Offseason Power Rankings at the midpoint: The Angels experience a familiar scenario.
Once more, the American League West clinched the World Series victory, as the Texas Rangers triumphed over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2023 Fall Classic, securing their inaugural World Series title. The Rangers’ success was well-earned, showcasing an assertive team dynamic and exceptional performance throughout October.
Looking ahead to the 2024 season, the AL West maintains its reputation as a highly competitive division, with Texas leading the pack. The Astros continue their impressive streak with seven consecutive ALCS appearances, and the Mariners are formidable contenders as well.
However, when it comes to the Los Angeles Angels’ placement in this division, it seems like a recurring theme of déjà vu.
In the
In the latest mid-offseason AL West Power Rankings, the standings remain unchanged:
1. Texas Rangers
2. Houston Astros
3. Seattle Mariners
4. Los Angeles Angels
5. Oakland Athletics
The AL West has experienced a surprisingly calm offseason. The reigning World Series champions, the Texas Rangers, bolstered their bullpen by signing Kirby Yates and adding the potentially impactful Tyler Mahle to their rotation, recovering from injury. There’s speculation about the return of Jordan Montgomery, but no official decision has been made yet.
Following a disappointing ALCS defeat to Texas, the Houston Astros have also had a relatively subdued offseason. While the move to replace Martin Maldonado with Victor Caratini makes logical sense, they have made a few other notable transactions.
The Mariners, despite narrowly missing the playoffs with 88 wins, have undergone a peculiar offseason. They’ve opted to trim costs by parting ways with players like Jarred Kelenic, Eugenio Suarez, and even trading Robbie Ray. While the addition of Mitch Garver boosts their DH position, the loss of Teoscar Hernandez raises concerns, potentially making Seattle appear weaker than the previous season.
Teams ahead of the Angels in the rankings have made minimal improvements, but the Angels’ lack of significant moves makes it challenging to argue that they’ve closed the gap. While acquiring players like Adam Cimber, Adam Kolarek, Luis Garcia, and Zach Plesac adds depth, they may not be considered game-changers. The absence of impactful moves, coupled with losing Shohei Ohtani and maintaining a roster that won 73 games last season, paints a potentially challenging picture for the Angels.
Although the addition of Ron Washington as a manager is a positive note, the limitations of managing an undermanned team are apparent. While the Angels have promising young players and the presence of Mike Trout, achieving competitiveness seems contingent on several factors falling into place.
On a brighter note for Angels fans, the silver lining is that they are not in the position of the Oakland A’s, who continue to face challenges and are considered the least competitive team in the division and the league overall.
The Angels have the opportunity to improve their standing and move closer to the middle of the pack in the league, but as of now, there haven’t been any significant signings to signal a change. The current situation for the Angels appears to be consistent with the status quo, and unless there are substantial moves in the near future, the team’s outlook is likely to stay the same.
