In a weekly post, we'll take a look around the AL West — what's happened so far, and what's on tap in the coming days.
1. Oakland Athletics (5-5) — The A's are coming off a loss to the Astros to keep them in the pack of teams at .500 or below. The pitching has been average and the offense has been surprisingly good after several key defections. But here's the key with the A's, reinforcements to the pitching staff are coming. Next up: Friday, 7:10 p.m., at Kansas City Royals.
2. Houston Astros (4-5) — The Astros are in "second place," but they're under .500 just like every team in the division outside of Oakland. The Astros' lineup is Rangers bad, but that pitching staff is looking pretty solid. Next up: Friday, 7:10 p.m., vs. Los Angeles Angels.
3. Los Angeles Angels (4-5) — Pretty much the same story here as every team in the division. The pitching staff is questionable, but the offense can put up runs. No team in the division has looked dominant so far, and this team is right there in that group. Next up: Friday, 7:10 p.m., at Houston Astros.
4. Texas Rangers (4-6) — As one of three teams in baseball with 10 games, the Rangers are a half-game out of the mix after a week, which I guess is a bit of a pleasant surprise given the outlook even before Derek Holland's injury. It'll really be interesting to see if the Rangers ever get to .500 again this year. Next up: Friday, 9:10 p.m., at Seattle Mariners.
5. Seattle Mariners (3-6) — Things aren't going as the Mariners planned early on, but they are likely still the cream of the AL West crop with their new-look lineup featuring a mashing Nelson Cruz and their strong pitching rotation. Next up: Friday, 9:10 p.m., vs. Texas Rangers.
