With the Angels sliding, who is the Astros’ biggest challenger in the West?

Los Angeles Angels

The Angels have always been big spenders, tending to bring in big names in the offseason. This year was no different, as they signed Noah Syndergaard and Michael Lorenzen to beef up their starting rotation, which has troubled them for years.

This rotation combined with their big offensive names in Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon would lead them to believe they would compete down the stretch. However, this plan has been foiled thus far, as the Angels’ pitching has been abysmal.

I mean, let’s be honest here, if you have Trout, Shohei Ohtani and Rendon, there is no reason that you should be below .500. However, I do think the club will bounce back to a degree, but I am not sure if they have postseason quality pitching. I think they are the Astros’ biggest threat, but I do not think the Angels have enough to overtake Houston’s crown.

2. Seattle Mariners

The Mariners traded everything they could at the deadline last year, yet still managed to get hot and finish with 90 wins. With an ending like that, it is no surprise that analysts had this club competing for the American League West crown.

They currently sit at 26-31. The problem is, the team just cannot hit. They currently only have three players in their lineup that have a batting average above .250. For comparison, the Astros have eight. I think the bats get hotter as the weather does too, but the only rain the Mariners will see in October will be from the weather. They are not a contender.

3. Texas Rangers

Similar to the Angels, the Rangers have always been big spenders in the offseason. This year, they locked down a new middle infield, consisting of Marcus Semien and Cory Seager. Not to mention their very mediocre pitching staff, these middle infielders are part of the problem right now.

Nobody can hit. Semien is currently batting .221 with a .635 OPS, while Seager is only managing a .227 average and a .708 OPS. You have to ask yourself, is that really worth the money? The club currently sits at 26-30 but has played a bit better as of late. They could be a .500 club if the bats get going, but I think their pitching won’t be able to help them much. They are not a contender.