American League West
The American League West is one of three divisions in Major League Baseball's American League. The division has five teams as of the 2013 season, but had four teams from 1994 to 2012, and had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams currently only reside along the west coast and in Texas, historically the division has had teams as far east as Chicago. From 1998 to 2012, the AL West was the only MLB division with four teams. The current champion of this division is the Houston Astros. In 2013, the Houston Astros went from the National League Central to the AL West. That move gives all six MLB divisions an equal five teams and both leagues an equal 15 teams each.
Division membership
Current members
- Houston Astros - Joined in 2013; formerly from the NL West and NL Central
- Los Angeles Angels – Founding member
- Oakland Athletics – Founding member
- Seattle Mariners – Joined in 1977 as an expansion team
- Texas Rangers – Joined in 1972; formerly of the AL East
Former members
- Chicago White Sox – Founding member; moved to the AL Central in 1994
- Kansas City Royals – Founding member; moved to the AL Central in 1994
- Minnesota Twins – Founding member; moved to the AL Central in 1994
- Milwaukee Brewers – Founding member ; moved to the AL East in 1972, then to the AL Central in 1994. Eventually moved to the NL Central in 1998.
Division members
Champions by year
- Team names link to the season in which each team played
Wild-card winners produced
Year | Winner | Record | % | GB | Playoffs | Notes |
2000 | Seattle Mariners | 91–71 | .562 | .5 | Lost ALCS to New York, 4–2 | |
2001 | Oakland Athletics | 102–60 | .630 | 14 | Lost ALDS to New York, 3–2 | |
2002 | Anaheim Angels | 99–63 | .611 | 4 | Won World Series over San Francisco, 4–3 | First AL West team to Win World Series as a Wild Card |
2012 | Texas Rangers* | 93–69 | .574 | 1 | Lost ALWC to Baltimore | |
2014 | Oakland Athletics* | 88–74 | .543 | 10 | Lost ALWC to Kansas City | |
2015 | Houston Astros* | 86–76 | .531 | 2 | Lost ALDS to Kansas City, 3–2 | |
2018 | Oakland Athletics* | 97–65 | .599 | 6 | Lost ALWC to New York | |
2019 | Oakland Athletics* | 97–65 | .599 | 10 | Lost ALWC to Tampa Bay |