American League West Check-In (5/11/2026)

Greetings, baseball nerds! Every now and then, I will give everyone an update on how my team and the rest of the teams in the American League West are doing nearly two months into the 2026 Major League Baseball season. I'm only going to focus on this division and this division alone for the remainder of the season. Another weekend of baseball has come and gone. A new week has arrived, so I'll go over each team's record and also give my two cents about them.

1. Athletics (21-19)

I've stated before the beginning of this season that they'll clinch one of the Wild Card spots. They currently lead the AL West by two games over the next team I'll discuss in a bit. The A's are a young team and are doing well so far. I've been impressed with their on-field performance and finding ways to win games. It's been years since they've been in the Postseason, so it'll be interesting to see in the coming months if they'll run away with the division or make the playoffs as a Wild Card team.

2. Rangers (19-21)

Let's talk about my team. The Rangers are currently two games behind the Athletics for the American League West league. They rank sixth in the league in ERA with a 3.65. After taking two out of three at home against the Chicago Cubs, they face the Arizona Diamondbacks for a three-game series at Globe Life Field in a World Series rematch before going on the road to face the Houston Astros, also for a three-game series in the Silver Boot Series. This will be the 300th meeting between these two teams. If I were to give the Rangers a grade, it would be a C. The bullpen needs to stop giving up so many runs early in a game, and the offense has to score more runs. Also, long losing streaks in a certain time span has to decrease. I'd like to see them have more winning streaks and winning more series on the road. I have them clinching a playoff berth, but unless they address these issues, they're going to miss being in October for the third consecutive year.

3. Mariners (19-22)

The team who made it all the way to the ALCS last season is currently in third in the division, just two and a half games behind the Athletics. Cal Raleigh, last year's AL MVP runner-up, is going through a slump. It happens to the most popular players, but I hope he snaps out of that soon. I predicted before the season began that they'll repeat as AL West Champions. They'll have to overcome their struggles if they want to return to the playoffs.

4. Angels (16-25)

There's nothing much to say about the Angels except that Arte Moreno needs to sell the team ASAP. This team hasn't made it to the Postseason since 2014 and look very lost. As much as I admire Mike Trout being loyal and dedicated to the Angels for his entire career, him always being injured is a sign that he should consider retiring, for the sake of his own health. I know that he's very passionate about the game, but he's not the same Mike Trout from the past we've grown accustomed to. I do see him as a hitting coach for the Angels in the near future. Their record right now stands at 16-25, tied for last in the division with the final team on this list.

5. Astros (16-25)

Last but not least, let's talk about the Rangers bitter rival. The Astros usually dominate the AL West. Last season, they and the Mariners were battling it out to see who would capture the division crown. In the end, the latter team reigned victorious. With Carlos Correa being out for the remainder of the season and the team not getting any younger, I didn't have them making it to the playoffs at all and it's probably for the best. You have to know that you're no longer the team that drove teams crazy every season.