Welcome to Episode 150 of Tablesetters, where we continue our division preview series by turning our attention to the American League West heading into the 2026 season.

For nearly a decade, the AL West belonged to the Houston Astros. From 2017 through 2024, Houston captured seven full-season division titles and established one of the most sustained competitive runs in modern baseball.

That streak finally paused in 2025.

The Seattle Mariners broke through with a 90–72 season to capture the division, edging Houston by three games and advancing all the way to the American League Championship Series before falling in seven games. Now Seattle enters 2026 with momentum, elite pitching, and legitimate postseason expectations.

But the division remains wide open.

Houston still features an experienced core led by Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and Yordan Alvarez, though questions remain about the starting rotation after the departure of Framber Valdez. Texas returns one of the most intriguing pitching staffs in the league behind Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi but must rebound offensively after finishing near the bottom of the league in several categories last year.

Meanwhile, the Athletics appear to be emerging from their rebuild with a promising young lineup built around Rookie of the Year Nick Kurtz and shortstop Jacob Wilson, while the Los Angeles Angels continue searching for stability after another difficult season.

Several individual players could ultimately determine how the division unfolds.

Dominic Canzone’s breakout bat could help deepen Seattle’s lineup behind Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez. Houston will be watching closely to see whether new arrival Tatsuya Imai can stabilize the rotation. Texas may hinge on the health of Nathan Eovaldi alongside deGrom, while A’s pitching outlook could depend heavily on the continued development of Jacob Lopez. For the Angels, the return of Grayson Rodriguez from injury carries significant implications for a rotation that struggled throughout 2025.

With Seattle attempting to defend its title and multiple challengers trying to reclaim the division, the AL West once again looks like a race that could remain competitive deep into the season.

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