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. Houston Astros (21-13) — They've only won four of their last 10 games, but the Astros still have a comfortable lead in the division and are tied for the best record in the American League with the Kansas City Royals. Dallas Keuchel is arguably the game's top starting pitcher and the offense has been explosive. Next up: Today, 7:10 p.m., vs. Toronto Blue Jays.
2. Los Angeles Angels (17-17) — The Angels have taken some time to get going, but they're hot at the moment with three straight wins in a sweep of the lowly Rockies. Mike Trout keeps doing Mike Trout things, but there isn't much else in the way of offense and the pitching staff has been concerning. Next up: Friday, 6:05 p.m., at Baltimore Orioles.
3. Seattle Mariners (15-18) — Still one of the bigger disappointments so far this season, the Mariners were picked by many to be the cream of the AL West crop and a World Series contender, and they're still under .500. They can't seem to win a game that isn't started by Felix Hernandez, who's phenomenal, but they are getting a ton of production from Nelson Cruz to keep them afloat. Next up: Thursday, 9:10 p.m., vs. Boston Red Sox.
4. Texas Rangers (15-19) — Still one of the hotter teams in baseball, the Rangers have won seven of their last 10 games and have seen their offense come to life in May, and most impressively, in this current homestand where they've had trouble producing runs for a couple of years now. The starting pitching has been great, and with the run support they're getting it's not hard to see why. Next up: Today, 1:05 p.m., vs. Kansas City Royals.
5. Oakland Athletics (13-23) — What the hell happened here? We expected a dropoff due to all the new faces in Oakland, but it's hard to say anyone expected this. The A's have won just two of their last 10 games. Next up: Friday, 9:05 p.m., vs. Chicago White Sox.
