AL West Division

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The American League West Division, often abbreviated AL West was created in 1969 when Major League Baseball expanded and split the National League and American League into two divisions each. The AL West was the only four-team division in MLB from 1994 to 2012; all other divisions consisted of 5 or 6 teams. That changed when the Houston Astros moved from the NL Central in 2013, creating six divisions of five teams each.

The division has had the following constructs:

1969: California Angels, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, Oakland Athletics, and Seattle Pilots.

1970-1971: California Angels, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, and Oakland Athletics.

1972-1976: California Angels, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, Oakland Athletics, and Texas Rangers.

1977-1993: California Angels, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, and Texas Rangers.

1994-1996: California Angels, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, and Texas Rangers

1997-2003: Anaheim Angels, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, and Texas Rangers

2004-2012: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, and Texas Rangers

2013-2016: Houston Astros, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, and Texas Rangers

2017-: Houston Astros, Los Angeles Angels, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, and Texas Rangers

Division Champions[edit]

Year Champion Record Manager Postseason Notes
1969 Minnesota Twins 97-65 Billy Martin Lost ALCS to Baltimore Orioles
1970 Minnesota Twins 98-64 Bill Rigney Lost ALCS to Baltimore Orioles
1971 Oakland Athletics 101-60 Dick Williams Lost ALCS to Baltimore Orioles
1972 Oakland Athletics 93-62 Dick Williams Won World Series over Cincinnati Reds
1973 Oakland Athletics 94-68 Dick Williams Won World Series over New York Mets
1974 Oakland Athletics 90-72 Alvin Dark Won World Series over Los Angeles Dodgers
1975 Oakland Athletics 98-64 Alvin Dark Lost ALCS to Boston Red Sox
1976 Kansas City Royals 90-72 Whitey Herzog Lost ALCS to New York Yankees
1977 Kansas City Royals 102-60 Whitey Herzog Lost ALCS to New York Yankees
1978 Kansas City Royals 92-70 Whitey Herzog Lost ALCS to New York Yankees
1979 California Angels 88-74 Jim Fregosi Lost ALCS to Baltimore Orioles
1980 Kansas City Royals 97-65 Jim Frey Lost World Series to Philadelphia Phillies
1981 Oakland Athletics 64-45 Billy Martin Lost ALCS to New York Yankees 1
1982 California Angels 93-69 Gene Mauch Lost ALCS to Milwaukee Brewers
1983 Chicago White Sox 99-63 Tony LaRussa Lost ALCS to Baltimore Orioles
1984 Kansas City Royals 84-78 Dick Howser Lost ALCS to Detroit Tigers
1985 Kansas City Royals 91-71 Dick Howser Won World Series over St. Louis Cardinals
1986 California Angels 92-70 Gene Mauch Lost ALCS to Boston Red Sox
1987 Minnesota Twins 85-77 Tom Kelly Won World Series over St. Louis Cardinals
1988 Oakland Athletics 104-58 Tony LaRussa Lost World Series to Los Angeles Dodgers
1989 Oakland Athletics 99-63 Tony LaRussa Won World Series over San Francisco Giants
1990 Oakland Athletics 103-59 Tony LaRussa Lost World Series to Cincinnati Reds
1991 Minnesota Twins 95-67 Tom Kelly Won World Series over Atlanta Braves
1992 Oakland Athletics 96-66 Tony LaRussa Lost ALCS to Toronto Blue Jays
1993 Chicago White Sox 94-68 Gene Lamont Lost ALCS to Toronto Blue Jays
1994 Texas Rangers 52-62 Kevin Kennedy Postseason cancelled 2
1995 Seattle Mariners 79-66 Lou Piniella Lost ALCS to Cleveland Indians 3
1996 Texas Rangers 90-72 Johnny Oates Lost ALDS to New York Yankees
1997 Seattle Mariners 90-72 Lou Piniella Lost ALDS to Baltimore Orioles
1998 Texas Rangers 88-74 Johnny Oates Lost ALDS to New York Yankees
1999 Texas Rangers 95-67 Johnny Oates Lost ALDS to New York Yankees
2000 Oakland Athletics 91-71 Art Howe Lost ALDS to New York Yankees 4
2001 Seattle Mariners 116-46 Lou Piniella Lost ALCS to New York Yankees
2002 Oakland Athletics 103-59 Art Howe Lost ALDS to Minnesota Twins
2003 Oakland Athletics 96-66 Ken Macha Lost ALDS to Boston Red Sox
2004 Anaheim Angels 92-70 Mike Scioscia Lost ALDS to Boston Red Sox
2005 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 95-67 Mike Scioscia Lost ALCS to Chicago White Sox
2006 Oakland Athletics 93-69 Ken Macha Lost ALCS to Detroit Tigers
2007 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 94-68 Mike Scioscia Lost ALDS to Boston Red Sox
2008 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 100-62 Mike Scioscia Lost ALDS to Boston Red Sox
2009 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 97-65 Mike Scioscia Lost ALCS to New York Yankees
2010 Texas Rangers 90-72 Ron Washington Lost World Series to San Francisco Giants
2011 Texas Rangers 96-66 Ron Washington Lost World Series to St. Louis Cardinals
2012 Oakland Athletics 94-68 Bob Melvin Lost ALDS to Detroit Tigers
2013 Oakland Athletics 96-66 Bob Melvin Lost ALDS to Detroit Tigers
2014 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 98-64 Mike Scioscia Lost ALDS to Kansas City Royals
2015 Texas Rangers 88-74 Jeff Banister Lost ALDS to Toronto Blue Jays
2016 Texas Rangers 95-67 Jeff Banister Lost ALDS to Toronto Blue Jays
2017 Houston Astros 101-61 A.J. Hinch Won World Series over Los Angeles Dodgers
2018 Houston Astros 103-59 A.J. Hinch Lost ALCS to Boston Red Sox
2019 Houston Astros 107-55 A.J. Hinch Lost World Series to Washington Nationals
2020 Oakland Athletics 36-24 Bob Melvin Lost ALDS to Houston Astros 5
2021 Houston Astros 95-67 Dusty Baker Lost World Series to Atlanta Braves
2022 Houston Astros 106-56 Dusty Baker Won World Series over Philadelphia Phillies
2023 Houston Astros 90-72 Dusty Baker Lost ALCS to Texas Rangers 6

Notes:

  1. Split-season format adopted because of the 1981 strike. The Oakland Athletics won the first-half title and the Kansas City Royals won the second half title. The Athletics defeated the Royals in the Division Series to represent the AL West in the 1981 ALCS.
  2. The 1994 postseason was cancelled because of the 1994 strike; first season played under three-division format.
  3. The Seattle Mariners won a one-game playoff with the California Angels to win the Division title.
  4. The Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners finished the season with identical records, but Oakland was awarded the Division title due to its better head-to-head record against Seattle.
  5. Season shortened by the Coronavirus pandemic; a special Postseason format was used.
  6. The Houston Astros finished with the same record as the Texas Rangers but were awarded the division title on a tiebreaker.

Wild Cards[edit]

The American League Wild Card team has come from the Western Division 10 times since 1995:

See Also[edit]