As Opening Day approaches, let’s take a look into the crystal ball to see what’s in store for the American League West.
Athletics | Record prediction: 81-81 (third in AL West)
Jacob Wilson will contend for AL Rookie of the Year: The A’s will find another cornerstone piece early in the upcoming season.
Wilson has been one of the more unique prospects in the game, striking out just 26 times in 337 minor-league plate appearances. The shortstop received a brief look at the major-league level in 2024, posting a .250/.314/.315 batting line in his 103 plate appearances, hitting two doubles and two triples.
Wilson had a much more impressive showing with the bat in the minors last season. He produced an astonishing .433/.474/.668 batting line in 226 plate appearances across three levels, hitting seven homers and 28 doubles. His ability to make consistent contact continued during his time in the majors. While Wilson is not going to hit .400, he should be a solid option near the top of the lineup.
Houston Astros | Record prediction: 90-72 (first in AL West)
Spencer Arrighetti emerges as the next Astros ace: The Houston Astros have a young pitcher ready to step up as a top-of-the-rotation arm.
Arrighetti had a mediocre rookie year based on his overall numbers. He posted a 4.57 ERA and a 1.407 WHiP in his 145 innings, striking out 171 batters with 65 walks. However, Arrighetti was much better in the second half, posting a 3.18 ERA and a 1.169 WHiP over 65 innings, striking out 78 batters with 21 walks.
As the Astros hope to contend in 2025 and beyond, they will need players to step up and prove to be part of the future core. Arrighetti can stake a claim as a key part of the rotation if he can build off his impressive second half.
Los Angeles Angels | Record prediction: 73-89 (last in AL West)
Mike Trout stays healthy, puts together MVP-caliber season: Trout has remained productive when he has been on the diamond. The problem has been keeping him healthy.
The Angels are making a change in an attempt to keep Trout in the lineup. He is moving to right field going forward, a change that he has taken to. Trout told MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger that he has noticed a difference in how his body feels already after just a month or so in right.
Trout was likely to move from center in the coming years as outfield prospect Nelson Rada is closing in on the majors. The Angels need Trout to be healthy if they are going to have a chance at contending this season. If he can stay on the diamond, an MVP-caliber season may be in the works.
Seattle Mariners | Record prediction: 86-76 (second in AL West)
Luis Castillo gets traded by July 1: Trade rumors swirled around Castillo throughout the offseason. While the pitcher seems unconcerned about those rumors, he may not be in Seattle much longer.
The Mariners have an impressive crop of young starting pitchers, all of whom are far less expensive than Castillo. The Mariners were willing to increase payroll heading into the 2025 season but had budgetary limitations last year. Meanwhile, they are still looking to improve a lineup that ranked 22nd in the majors with a .687 OPS in 2024.
President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto has been willing to trade virtually anyone on the roster, occasionally acting as a seller and a buyer at the same trade deadline. If the Mariners’ young starters perform as expected, Castillo could end up elsewhere as Dipoto continues his quest to build a viable lineup.
Texas Rangers | Record prediction: 79-83 (fourth in AL West)
Jacob deGrom makes more than 20 starts: deGrom has not been able to stay healthy for a full season since 2020. That will change this year.
The pitcher has already made adjustments in an attempt to take the ball every fifth day. He has dialed the velocity on his fastball back, sitting in the mid 90s instead of maxing out on each pitch. Instead, he is looking to reach triple digits when he has two strikes or needs to get that out. Although that may not appear to be significant, that small adjustment could keep deGrom on the mound.
He has continued to be one of the best pitchers in baseball when he has been healthy. deGrom has a 2.01 ERA and a 0.679 WHiP since the start of the 2021 season, but has only lasted for 197.1 innings in that time. A healthy deGrom can still be a difference maker — his adjustments to “pitch smarter” will keep him on the mound in 2025.
