The calendar has flipped to February and the beginning of spring is only a matter of days away. Whereas some notable free brokers (together with seven of MLBTR’s High 50) stay unsigned, most golf equipment have already achieved the heavy lifting when it comes to getting ready their roster for the 2025 season. Within the coming days, we’ll be having a look across the league at which golf equipment have had the strongest offseason up to now. After the Mets, Cubs, and Dodgers have decisively received the polls overlaying the Nationwide League’s three divisions, the main focus now shifts to the American League beginning with the AL West.
The junior circuit’s west coast groups have been busy for probably the most half, maybe reflecting the division’s tightly contested nature. A 3-way race for the AL West got here all the way down to the ultimate day of the 2023 season, and regardless of the Astros’ division title, the Rangers had been those to be topped World Sequence champions. In 2024, Houston’s lengthy reign over the division began exhibiting indicators of cracks as they struggled out of the gate, received “simply” 88 video games (down by their requirements) and had been bounced from the playoffs within the AL Wild Card Sequence.
Which group has achieved the very best job setting themselves up for 2024? Groups are listed so as of their 2024 report:
Houston Astros
The winds of change are blowing by way of Houston, they usually’ll enter 2025 with a considerably reshaped roster. Probably the most notable transfer this winter was to ship star outfielder Kyle Tucker to Chicago forward of his ultimate season underneath group management. Shedding a participant of Tucker’s caliber is at all times a brutal blow, however Houston did pretty effectively within the commerce. They not solely added a brand new high prospect in third baseman Cam Smith, however in addition they managed to usher in All-Star third baseman Isaac Paredes and bolster their rotation depth with right-hander Hayden Wesneski.
The additions of Paredes and Wesneski have patched holes left by the departures of Alex Bregman and Justin Verlander in free company, although the membership has apparently not utterly closed the door on a reunion with Bregman. In the meantime, the necessity at first base brought on by Jose Abreu’s dramatic decline was crammed by the addition of three-time Gold Glove winner Christian Walker. Strong as these strikes have been, although, the Astros have subtracted greater than they’ve added. Ryan Pressly, Yusei Kikuchi, and Jose Urquidy are now not with the membership, and the Astros’ substitute for Tucker as a left-handed outfield bat up to now seems to be a reunion with journeyman Ben Gamel.
Seattle Mariners
Seattle has had the quietest offseason within the division regardless of usually being probably the most energetic groups on the commerce market. Rumors of a Luis Castillo deal haven’t come to fruition, and commerce targets to bolster the membership’s lackluster infield resembling Nico Hoerner, Alec Bohm, and Triston Casas have all remained with their present groups. The Mariners’ lack of exercise on the commerce market has led them to make principally ancillary strikes. As possession has scaled again the funds considerably, the Mariners have re-signed Jorge Polanco and added Donovan Solano for a mixed $11.25MM. Their solely different additions have been minor trades for gamers with minimal huge league expertise like Austin Shenton and Miles Mastrobuoni.
Texas Rangers
The Rangers’ entrance workplace has had a tall order positioned in entrance of them this winter: navigate underneath the posh tax whereas supplementing an offense that struggled final yr and utterly rebuilding a pitching workers that noticed seven main items attain free company. They’ve most succeeded in these targets. Robert Garcia, Chris Martin, Jacob Webb, Shawn Armstrong, and Hoby Milner had been all introduced in to assist patch up one of many league’s weaker bullpens. The membership parted with first baseman Nathaniel Lowe to deliver Garcia into the fold, however his bat has been successfully swapped out totally free agent pickup Joc Pederson and commerce acquisition Jake Burger in commerce.
In the meantime, the membership added some pop behind the plate by pairing Kyle Higashioka with Jonah Heim after Heim struggled by way of a down season offensively final yr. The Rangers managed to maintain Nathan Eovaldi on a three-year deal regardless of the hovering price of beginning pitching. Whether or not these additions shall be sufficient to make up for the losses of Lowe, Kirby Yates, David Robertson, Jose Leclerc, Andrew Heaney and Max Scherzer stays to be seen.
Athletics
After shuttering the Coliseum and departing Oakland for a short lived keep in West Sacramento, the A’s have begun to spend extra aggressively than they’ve in years. The membership locked up breakout slugger Brent Rooker for the following 5 seasons on a $60MM extension and has been energetic each the commerce and free agent markets. The A’s signed Luis Severino to a club-record three-year, $67MM deal whereas additionally agreeing to offers with third baseman Gio Urshela, former Rangers nearer Jose Leclerc and lefty T.J. McFarland. On the commerce market, they added southpaws Jeffrey Springs and Jacob Lopez in a cope with the Rays that noticed them give up Joe Boyle, their Aggressive Stability Spherical A choose, and two prospects.
Los Angeles Angels
After narrowly avoiding the primary 100-loss season in franchise historical past, the Angels had been closely energetic within the early phases of the offseason. They acquired slugger Jorge Soler in a commerce with the Braves on day one of many offseason, surrendering solely non-tender candidate Griffin Canning. They added Scott Kingery in a money swap with the Phillies shortly thereafter. The early days of free company introduced offers for Yusei Kikuchi, Travis d’Arnaud, Kyle Hendricks, and Kevin Newman.
Issues have been principally quiet in Anaheim since that flurry of strikes again in November, and it’ll absolutely take a robust, wholesome season from Mike Trout along with steps ahead for a number of children if the Angels are going to contend for the postseason in 2025.
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The AL West seems to have moved in the direction of parity considerably this winter. The Astros have sacrificed maximizing their quick odds at continued dominance within the title of longer-term stability. The Mariners opted to maintain their elite rotation collectively relatively than threat breaking apart the group to strengthen a mediocre lineup. The Rangers have been very energetic in reshaping their roster in hopes of recapturing the glory of 2023, whereas the fourth- and fifth-place A’s and Angels have been surprisingly aggressive of their efforts to separate themselves from the AL’s cellar dwellers.
Of the 5 AL West golf equipment, which one has had the strongest offseason thus far? Have your say within the ballot under:
