Truthfully, that is about as shut as you may get. On the finish of play on Friday, Sept. 12, the Astros and Mariners are tied atop the AL West with the Rangers simply two video games again. However the accuracy of the projection implies that every little thing that is occurred this yr has, roughly, met our expectations. It is not true, however that’s what it implies.
This division — particularly the Astros, Mariners and Rangers — has continued to catch us off guard all yr lengthy, and there have been so many little plot threads that there is a fairly good likelihood we have all forgotten just a few. So in an effort to get us all up to the mark, we’re endeavoring to inform a condensed story of the AL West to date, with mile markers at just a few key dates alongside the way in which.
April 22: Rangers, 14-9 (.609)2-T. Astros, 12-11 (2 GB); 2-T. Mariners, 12-11 (2 GB)
Nearly per week into the season, Jack Leiter was positioned on the injured listing with a blister, and Patrick Corbin, a late arrival despatched to Triple-A to complete tuning up, needed to be recalled. At this level within the season, the Rangers now have Corbin, Nathan Eovaldi and Jacob deGrom all in a Main League rotation in 2025. They’re adopted by Tyler Mahle, who made eight complete begins between 2023-24. It looks like the development of this workers is asking for bother; for now, it is what’s protecting them afloat. Mahle even has a 0.68 ERA.
Twenty-three video games in, the Rangers are having fun with the most important lead they’ll have all season, largely as a result of they’re solely scoring 3.3 runs per recreation. Jake Burger, Joc Pederson and Marcus Semien are all hitting below .200; Pederson is definitely hitting .052.
In the meantime in Houston, the concept that this shall be a authentic race is barely additional supported by proof that the Astros didn’t, in truth, go away their pitcher damage nightmares behind in 2024. The newest casualty: Spencer Arrighetti, who whereas taking part in catch within the outfield on April 7, is hit squarely on the throwing hand by a batting-practice line drive that breaks his thumb. Different Astros starters nonetheless sidelined as of April 22: J.P. France (proper shoulder surgical procedure), Luis Garcia (Tommy John), Cristian Javier (Tommy John) and Lance McCullers Jr. (proper elbow surgical procedure).
Might 23: Mariners, 29-21 (.580)2. Astros, 26-25 (3.5 GB); 3. Angels, 25-25 (4 GB); 4. Rangers, 25-27 (5 GB)
Hidden within the Rangers’ sturdy begin was one collection that appears much more vital looking back — a three-game sweep (April 11-13) by the hands of the Mariners, who got here alive afterwards.
The middle of the Mariners’ universe at this stage is clearly Cal Raleigh and his 17 house runs, tied for essentially the most in MLB. A detailed second to Raleigh is Bryan Woo, who has a 2.65 ERA and 0.87 WHIP by means of his first 9 begins. Getting all of their different younger starters on the roster directly has confirmed to date to be a logistical nightmare. George Kirby (proper shoulder irritation) makes his 2025 debut on Might 22. Logan Gilbert shall be sidelined with a proper elbow flexor pressure from April 26 by means of June 16. Bryce Miller spends a few weeks in Might on the injured listing with proper elbow irritation, comes again for 2 begins, and needs to be positioned again on the IL, this time for over two months, on June 10.
The excellent news — for those who can name it that — is that every little thing’s going a lot the identical method in Texas. All hitting the IL in Might: Yordan Alvarez and Hayden Wesneski (Tommy John surgical procedure) for the Astros; and Pederson, Eovaldi, Corey Seager (already his second stint of the season), Evan Carter and Chris Martin for the Rangers.
July 6: Astros, 55-35 (.611)2. Mariners, 48-42 (7 GB); 3. Rangers, 44-46 (11 GB)
The Astros have peaked, although this most likely needs to be the bottom level of their season.
Since taking up first place on June 3, Ronel Blanco has undergone Tommy John surgical procedure. Lance McCullers Jr. spent two extra weeks on the IL with a sprained foot, which solely eats up time he must get again into kind, which is proving as tough as you’d think about, as a result of it has been nearly three years. Brendan Rodgers strains an indirect. Jeremy Peña fractures a rib. That is all set to a soundtrack of hazy updates about Alvarez, initially positioned on the IL with proper hand irritation that was later revealed to have stemmed from a fracture. He’ll nearly definitely come again. Proper?
The Astros are largely subsisting on the mixed offense of Jose Altuve, Jake Meyers, Isaac Paredes and Cam Smith (.305/.377/.494 since June 3.) Framber Valdez continues to be an ace and Hunter Brown is a Cy Younger candidate. All that stated, one thing’s not fairly proper. The Astros, 29-11 (.725) since Might 23, are positively overperforming. Addressed to a baseball workforce, “better than the sum of its elements” is a backhanded praise — in early July, it truly type of appears like a risk.
June accidents of notice: Miller, Mahle (proper rotator cuff pressure) and Cody Bradford (left elbow inside bracing).
Aug. 12: Astros/Mariners, 67-53 (.558)3. Rangers, 61-60 (6.5 GB)
We ran proper by means of the Deadline, so for context: the Mariners added Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suárez to their lineup and Caleb Ferguson to their bullpen. The Astros picked up Jesús Sánchez from the Marlins and gave everybody a shock by re-acquiring Carlos Correa from the Twins to cowl Paredes (proper hamstring pressure) at third base. Of their awkward place, not clearly within the race however positively not out of it, the Rangers traded for starter Merrill Kelly and relievers Danny Coulombe and Phil Maton.
On Aug. 12, the Mariners win their eighth recreation in a row and pull up alongside the Astros, having made up these seven video games within the AL West in simply over a month. Raleigh (at this level a Residence Run Derby champion) has left Aaron Decide within the mud and leads the AL with 45 house runs. Julio Rodríguez is heating up. Naylor’s stealing bases. Seattle is the place to be.
For a minute, at the least. There are 40 video games left on the schedule.
Sept. 5: Astros, 77-65 (.542)2. Mariners, 73-68 (3.5 GB); 3. Rangers, 73-69 (4 GB)
As if anybody wanted additional convincing that the Mariners have been the streaky workforce on this race, they comply with up their eight-game streak by going 6-15 from Aug. 13 by means of Sept. 5.
One thing type of big does occur on Sept. 5. Within the first recreation of their weekend collection, the Rangers beat the Astros in 12 innings and pull inside 4 video games of first place, the closest they have been since July.
The Rangers have now totally re-entered the dialog — clearly, with sufficient momentum, anybody could make up 4 video games within the AL West. However just like the Astros just a few months earlier, this flip in fortune hit the Rangers at an objectively low level. Inside per week in late August, already bruised, they misplaced Carter (Aug. 22, proper wrist fracture), Semien (Aug. 23, left foot contusion), Eovaldi (Aug. 27, proper rotator cuff pressure) and Seager (Aug. 29, appendectomy). Neither Seager nor Semien has dominated out a return in 2025; the identical cannot be stated for Carter or Eovaldi. They might properly win the division — who could be taking the sector in October is a separate query.
Sept. 12: Astros/Mariners, 80-68 (.541)3. Rangers, 78-70 (2 GB)
The Astros are having a attempting September. Three consecutive collection losses — to the Yankees at house and the Rangers and Blue Jays on the street — paired with one other Mariners profitable streak (at seven in a row by means of Friday) has them broad open to be overtaken. Possibly we’re crying wolf once more, however the Astros shall be internet hosting each the Mariners and the Rangers this upcoming week (Sept. 15-21).
The chances could also be higher this time round. The Astros aren’t coming into this remaining bout in fine condition. Hader, who sprained his left shoulder in August, is questionable even for the postseason. Three starters they’d since gotten again — Arrighetti, Garcia and McCullers — have been once more positioned on the injured listing simply this week and might be out for the yr.
So now we’re (principally) caught up with the AL West’s ongoing drama — we’ll allow you to determine whether or not we’re all truly higher for it.
