The American League West will run through Texas down the stretch.
The Texas Rangers came out of the All-Star break atop the division with the Houston Astros behind them and the Seattle Mariners still in the playoff mix.
The Los Angeles Angels are more likely to trade Shohei Ohtani than surge to the top of the AL West, while the Oakland Athletics are taking tanking to a new level.
As MLB’s second half gets underway, let’s look at the latest AL West betting odds.
AL West Winner Odds 2023
MLB odds used for these best bets are from Monday, July 17, and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Houston Astros (-105)
- Texas Rangers (+110)
- Seattle Mariners (+1500)
- Los Angeles Angels (+3000)
- Oakland Athletics (+100000)
The Astros occupy second place in the standings but have the shortest odds of winning the AL West, making the Rangers the only MLB division leader with plus-money odds to win their respective division.
AL West Winner Best Bet
Texas Rangers (+110)
According to Baseball Reference, the Rangers have a Pythagorean record of 61-33 through 94 games, exceeding their actual record of 55-39. Meanwhile, the Astros’ 52-42 Pythagorean record is identical to their actual record through 94 games.
In layman’s terms, that means Texas is playing better than its record shows, while Houston deserves to be 10 games above .500.
- Check out the latest American League Pennant odds.
Texas’ bread is buttered with its elite offense, which can carry it to an AL West crown.
I expect the Rangers to hold on and win the division.
AL West Winner Sleeper Pick
Seattle Mariners (+1500)
The Mariners are appropriately priced but have the horses to go on a heater to fly past the Rangers and Astros if things break correctly.
Seattle’s superb pitching staff is the best in the AL West. It boasts a talented rotation and an elite bullpen.
The Mariners need more from their offense, but Julio Rodríguez, Ty France, Teoscar Hernández, Jarred Kelenic, and others have varying degrees of untapped potential and track records of success in the bigs.
If the offense finds its footing, the Mariners can turn the AL West into a photo finish.