28 of 31 panelists pick the Astros to win the AL West; two pick the Angels; one picks the Angels.
Eddie Matz: “The A’s. Their rotation is more like a no-tation, but the bullpen is deep. And the defense, led by MVP candidate Matt Chapman and center fielder/human highlight reel Ramon Laureano, can catch it. I don’t think anyone in the West gets within shouting distance of Houston this year, but Oakland gets the closest.”
The Mariners check in at No. 21 in the opening-day power rankings.
David Schoenfield: “Hey, if they get bounce-back seasons from Jay Bruce and Domingo Santana (66 home runs in 2017, 14 in 2018), and Yusei Kikuchi is the real deal, and Marco Gonzales takes another step forward, and the no-name bullpen delivers, and Justus Sheffield comes up and lights it up … OK, that’s a lot of ifs.