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

This week, the Los Angeles Angeles fired 2016 World Series champion manager Joe Maddon, amidst a 12-game losing streak.

It came to many as a bit of a shock, as Maddon had the club around the .500 thus far, only a third of the way into the season. Nonetheless, the club currently sits at a record of 27-31, second place in the American League West.

With Maddon out at manager and the Angels in a plummet, who can challenge the Astros for the AL West crown?

Coming into the season, most analysts felt strongly that Seattle, Los Angeles and possibly Texas would stay close with the Houston Astros throughout the year. The majority of those analysts did predict one team correctly as Oakland will not be in the run for the postseason this year.

Beyond the Athletics’ rebuilding, let’s break down where the other three American League West teams sit.