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Fantasy Baseball has become one of the most popular ways to enjoy the Major League Baseball season, and in this third of six installments we will talk about the American League West Division.
In this division, we find the Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Angels and Oakland Athletics. Each of these teams has talent and outstanding players that can be valuable options for your Fantasy Baseball team.
Houston Astros
The Astros are one of the favorite teams, not only to win this division, but also to fight in the World Series, not for nothing they have been going to the playoffs since 2017 winning two World Series (2017,2022) and also being runner-up twice (2019-2021).
For this season they reinforced with the top reliever available in all of baseball for bullpen, Josh Hader, who will be the closer, so that Ryan Pressley will now be the setup man and maybe even alternate depending on the situation and physicality. Pressley (4-5/31 saves, 3.58) was fourth in saves in the American League in 2023 and Hader was third in the Nationals (2-3/33 saves, 1.28) with the Padres.
The rotation is the same as in recent years when they have dominated their league at will, led by Framber Valdez (12-11/3.45 ERA) and a Justin Verlander who generates some doubts thanks to shoulder problems in this spring training and who had a record of 13 wins and 8 losses with 3.22 ERA with the Mets and Astros in 2023.
On offense there are few teams with the talent of the Astros: a fully healthy Jose Altuve with a recent contract extension that practically ties him to the team for life (17 home runs, 51 RBIs, .311 Average in 2023), Alex Bregman (25 home runs, 98 RBIs,. 262 Average), Kyle Tucker (29 home runs, 112 RBIs, .284 Average) and Yordan Alvarez who can play left field or simply be one of the best designated hitters in the entire Major League (31 home runs, 97 RBIs, .293 Average).
Texas Rangers
The Rangers entering the 2024 season are no stronger than the Rangers who won the World Series. For starters, the main pitcher they had in the second half of the season, including the postseason, Jordan Montgomery (10-11/ 3.20 ERA), is gone and has not been replaced by someone of that caliber.
The bullpen that was their headache all of 2023, even in playoffs, didn't get anyone worthy of a World Series champion team either. Veteran Dave Robertson, 38 (18 Saves, 3.03 ERA), was the only experienced reliever to arrive, but his best years were behind him. 337/.452/.790. This was the offensive line (OBP/SLG/OPS) of the Texas Rangers in 2023 the best in the American League and second only to the Braves and Dodgers.
The optimism is in superstars Jacob DeGrom and Max Scherzer returning from injuries sometime this summer. And youngsters like Josh Jung (23 home runs, 70 RBIs, .266 Average) Jonah Heim (18 home runs, 95 RBIs, .258 Average), super prospect Wyatt Langford and Evan Carter continue to grow.
Offensively, the team returns with their core consisting of Corey Seager (33 home runs, 96 RBIs, .327 Average) Marcus Semien (29 home runs, 100 RBIs, .276 Average) and Adolis Garcia (39 home runs, 107 RBIs, .245 Average), so the hitting will not be lacking, however, they will have to repeat as one of the most productive offenses of the season to give them a chance until their top arms return.
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners, had a few moves this winter break, and a few trades that we will see if it pays off, they sent former 2021 Cy Young Robbie Ray to the Giants and received outfielder Mitch Haniger (6 home runs, 28 RBIs, .209 average) and right-handed pitcher Anthony DeSclafani (4-8/4.88 ERA) in return.
They also traded third baseman Eugenio Suarez and received reliever Carlos Vargas and catcher Seby Zavala. If Mitch Haniger can stay healthy, and return to being the 2021 player who blasted 39 home runs and pushed 100 runs across, Seattle could be very dangerous.
While much of the season's success depends on 23-year-old Julio Rodriguez (32 home runs/103 RBIs/ 37 Stolen Bases/ .275 average), whose 11.5 WAR is the 11th most by a player in his first two seasons since 1901, he is poised to reach the level of stardom that few can achieve. He can hit for average, hit for power, run wild and play center field. And if he reaches the level of seven or eight WAR, he will carry the Mariners with him into October.
As starters they'll have a potential Cy Young in the rotation number one starter George Kirby (13-10, 3.35 ERA). The 26-year-old righty issued just 19 bases on balls in 190? innings last season, a walk rate not seen in a full season since Cliff Lee in 2010. Tip for your fantasy team: closer Andres Munoz (4-7/13 Saves/2.94 ERA). Matt Brash and Gregory Santos were options for saves, but arm injuries have slowed both to the point that the ninth inning could be Munoz's and Munoz's alone.
Los Angeles Angels
The Angels are not a playoff team, but getting Mike Trout back to his old self after an injury-plagued season is as much of a priority as getting their young core acclimated to the big leagues.
While Shohei Ohtani left for the Dodgers in the offseason, Mike Trout has made it known he wants to remain an Angel. The 32-year-old superstar has only one obstacle in his way: injuries. It has been a struggle for Trout to stay healthy in recent seasons, but when he is, the center fielder remains one of the best players in baseball.
Trout has only played more than 100 games once since 2019. That was in 2022 when he hit 40 home runs in 119 games. Last season he had a line of 18 home runs, 44 RBIs, .263 average in 82 games) so it's safe to say that the Angels, and baseball in general, is much better when Mike Trout can stay healthy.
Speaking of injury-prone Angels, Anthony Rendon looks to put together his first fully healthy season since joining the team in 2020. He gave up just 2 home runs and 22 RBIs in 43 games last season. Sophomore catcher Logan O'Hoppe (14 home runs, 29 RBIs, .236 average in 51 games) will likely be the opening day catcher after showing good stuff while healthy in 2023.
Shortstop Zach Neto played more than half of last season in the big leagues (9 home runs, 34 RBIs, .225 average) Finally, Nolan Schanuel, one of the league's top prospects, is expected to be part of the opening day lineup as the starting first baseman.
While the lineup looks decent on paper, it's the pitchers that are the misses. Reid Detmers appears to be the "ace" of this staff, but he had a 4.48 ERA with 4 wins and 10 losses last season.
The 24-year-old will be followed by Griffin Canning, Patrick Sandoval and Tyler Anderson. Canning and Sandoval had ERAs between 4.10 and 4.40 in 2023, while Anderson was well over 5.00 ERA. The final likely piece of the starting rotation is rookie Chase Silseth. While he posted an MLB ERA above three points last season, he did so in only 16 games and eight starts.
Oakland Athletics
The Athletics are bad. But they're not as bad as they were last year. And to lose 105 games takes a really, really bad team. The goal this year is to try not to lose more than 100 games again in what will likely be their last season in Oakland before their move to Las Vegas.
The offense will depend on Zack Gelof, a 2021 second-round pick who reached the big leagues last season and had a debut 14 home runs, 32 RBIs, .267 average in 69 games.
Gelof, 24, will be the centerpiece of an infield that by mid-summer could include rookie Darell Hernaiz, 22, at third base and Ryan Noda, 27, at first. For a team likely to lose 100 games for the third straight season, players like them provide some hope in a situation lacking it.
As for pitching Mason Miller in his second season in the majors can throw up to 103 mph but has struggled to stay healthy. Without going any further last season he was out four months with elbow problems, so with his health in mind and a desire to limit his innings, the Athletics plan to use Miller out of the bullpen in 2024 (without completely closing the door on using him as a starter in the future).
PROJECTIONS
1. Houston Astros
2. Texas Rangers
3. Seattle Mariners
4. Los Angeles Angels
5. Oakland Athletics
STAR PLAYER: Julio Rodriguez
PLAYER TO WATCH: Wyatt Langford
