As we approach the last week of the Major League Baseball regular season, the American League West will be fascinating to watch. The Texas Rangers currently lead the division with a record of 87 wins and 68 losses. The Houston Astros are in second place at 85 wins and 71 losses and the Seattle Mariners are in third place at 84 wins and 71 losses.
Battling for three playoff spots
The Rangers are seeded second in the American League with a winning percentage of .561. The Astros have only won three of 10 games, but are not only in the hunt for a division title (two and a half games back of the Rangers), but in a wildcard chase as well. Houston is two games back of the Toronto Blue Jays for the second wildcard spot in the American League, and the Seattle Mariners are two and a half games back.
Who do the Mariners, Astros and Rangers have left?
Even though the Mariners are on the outside looking in at the moment, they will be facing the teams in front of them in the American League West over the last week. The Mariners have three games left against the Houston Astros starting Monday through to Wednesday in the Pacific Northwest region. Seattle then has a four game series against the Texas Rangers from Thursday to Sunday. The Rangers meanwhile have three games this week starting Monday against the Los Angeles Angels, and the Astros finish the season with three interleague games in Arizona.
Who are the teams’ stars?
Offensively, Astros rightfielder Kyle Tucker of Tampa, Florida leads the American League with 109 runs batted in. Rangers shortstop Corey Seager of Charlotte, North Carolina leads the American League with a .333 batting average. Mariners centerfielder Julio Rodriguez of Loma de Cabrera leads the American League with 179 hits, and Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien of San Francisco, California is second in the American League with 178 hits.
On the mound, Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez of Sabana Grande de Palenque is second in the American League with 20 quality starts. He is slated to start Wednesday in Seattle.
The post American League West heating up appeared first on The Sports Daily.