Do-Overs For (Almost) Everyone In The AL West
RAMSAU, AUSTRIA - JULY 21: Daniel Mulligan of Ireland hits his second shot on the fifth hole during day four of the Euram Bank Open at GC Adamstal on July 21, 2024 in Ramsau, Austria. (Photo by Jan Hetfleisch/Getty Images) | Getty Images Have regrets? That roster you meant to construct carefully but finished the job while on far too many weed gummis?
Did you fritter away a couple games you know you would have won if you had it to play again today? Are you waiting for young talent that is almost “almost here”? Unless you’re the Houston Astros — and trust me you do not want to be the Houston Astros right now — the universe has given a big mulligan to the AL West.
Everyone started out 0-0 with 162 to play and after 22 grueling games…pretty much the whole division is 11-11, give or take a dead rat. The A’s came to their 11-11 record in a very roundabout, roller-coaster-y way losing the first 4, then soon after winning 5 straight on the road against New York teams expected to contend, only to drop 3 of their last 4 and losing a series to the recent laughingstocks of baseball, the Chicago White Sox. Meanwhile, the Rangers end the week with a record of, you guessed it, 11-11, having sat atop the division much of the first 3 weeks but unable to distance themselves from the .
500 mark. The Angels have been a pleasant surprise, which has to be concerning to their fans since it has gotten them only a record of 11-12 after getting swept in San Diego this weekend. The Mariners aren’t quite back even, but their series win over Texas has allowed them to creep ever closer at 8-11.
Only the Astros are buried early, having lost 3 starting pitchers, a shortstop, and 15 games out of 23. What does this all mean? Mostly that the Mariners, widely favored to win the AL West in pre-season predictions, have given their rivals a 1.