What Houston Astros' struggles in AL West reveal about shifting power in division

The loss of star players and a drop in their performance are causing problems for the Houston Astros, which could lead to big changes in the American League West. Having ruled the league for nearly a decade and won the World Series in 2017, the Houston Astros now trail the Seattle Mariners by half a game in mid-2025, which is their most threatened situation since their championship season. Since George Springer, Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa, and Justin Verlander left the team, the Houston Astros have lost many crucial players, with only Jose Altuve and Lance McCullers Jr. still around from their glory days.
Seattle Mariners emerge as legitimate championship contendersWith the Houston Astros struggling, the Seattle Mariners have taken advantage and now lead the American League West with a team built to win for many seasons. With 23 home runs, Cal Raleigh tops Major League Baseball and is now ahead of superstars Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge in the category that usually matters most to championship teams. Luis Castillo and the Mariners' pitchers give them a base to build on for a possible deep playoff run, despite their ERA showing that there is room to improve. With Logan Gilbert out in May because of elbow trouble, the Mariners had to rely on their reserves, but they still kept their lead in the division.

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The Seattle Mariners haven't captured an American League West title since 2001, making their current surge particularly significant for a franchise that has been desperately seeking postseason relevance. Their ability to maintain pace ahead of the Houston Astros while other division rivals falter demonstrates organisational maturity that wasn't present in previous seasons.
Houston Astros face unprecedented challenges in maintaining AL West dominanceHouston Astros’ current 32-27 record means they are on track for 88 wins, the same as last year’s total, which was their lowest for a full season since 2016. The numbers went down at the same time that the team lost key players, which made the Lakers depend on older, less-experienced teammates and prospects. The Houston Astros would have won seven consecutive American League West championships in a row, unless the 2020 division title by the Oakland Athletics had been cancelled because of the pandemic, which would have placed them among the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York Yankees in exceptional division success.

However, the team’s other players are not performing as expected, which makes it difficult for the team’s offense to cover up the pitching problems. Ranking so low in offence in 2025, the Texas Rangers are no longer seen as serious contenders for the World Series. It looks as if the Los Angeles Angels will have their tenth straight losing season, and the Oakland Athletics have fallen apart with 17 losses in their last 18 games following a promising start.

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This is a real chance for the Seattle Mariners to win their division for the first time since 1995, while the Houston Astros deal with their hardest period since they became a top team. American League West fans can follow the storyline on MLB Network and local television as the summer brings more intense action.