The American League West has been dominated by the Houston Astros in recent season. But this year, there could be a new competitor to the Astros that emerges, as one of the most exciting teams in baseball looks to come into its own. Here, we look at this year’s AL West futures odds and make our MLB betting picks to win what could be a more exciting division than in years past.
2023 AL West Futures Betting Odds
Houston Astros: Division and World Series Title Frontrunners
This season, the Houston Astros are once again favored to win the AL West, and they are also favored to win the World Series. They did lose a couple of key pieces from last year’s team, with Justin Verlander and Carlos Correa both departing for other franchises. But they are right in the mix for the AL West title again, as Framber Valdez has stepped up on the mound, while their lineup is still incredibly dangerous with Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez healthy.
Texas Rangers: Can They Keep This Up?
While the Houston Astros have the shortest odds in the AL West futures market, the Texas Rangers have led the division for much of the season. Their offense has been the best in baseball so far, which will be even more important now that Jacob deGrom has Tommy John surgery on the docket to end his season. If the Rangers can continue mashing at the plate, they could stick around in this race despite the adversity they are facing.
Seattle Mariners: Is This Their Year?
Last season, the Seattle Mariners made it to the postseason, and advanced to the ALDS after winning a Wild Card series over the Toronto Blue Jays. They were eliminated by the aforementioned Astros in a three-game sweep, all of which were tight games. But that was great experience for the Mariners, who are expected to be even better this year as their young talent comes into this season with meaningful experience under their belt. Seattle has been mediocre so far in 2023, but one hot streak could put them into the playoff mix once again in the American League.
Los Angeles Angels: It Takes More Than Two to Tango
The star power of Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani is undeniable for the Los Angeles Angels. Ohtani could very well win the AL MVP this year, in fact. But this team needs more consistent help from their supporting cast in order to remain a viable contender to make the playoffs out of this division. They have hung around the .500 mark in the first half of the season, but we have seen this movie before from the Angels during the Trout era.
Oakland Athletics: An Utter Disaster
The Oakland Athletics have barely won 20% of their games so far this MLB season, and could dip under that mark at any time. At this point, the only success they have a chance to experience this season is figuring out their murky stadium situation, whether that be in Las Vegas or elsewhere.
2023 AL West Futures Betting Pick: Houston Astros
While we love what the Mariners are building in the Pacific Northwest, and the Rangers are a lot of fun to watch, we will take the Houston Astros in the AL West futures markets. They should be able to overcome the loss of Verlander, with Framber Valdez taking over as their top starter. Combine that with their elite offense, and the Astros should be able to win both the AL West and the American League as a whole this season.
Other AL Divisional Odds:
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