2019 MLB Projected Standings - Part III: The West

Welcome to the final installment of the "2019 MLB Projected Standings" series! Hopefully, you have been pleased to this point with your team's prediction for the upcoming 2019 season and for those that are fans of a team in the AL or NL West, this report is time for your team to shine. As always, these are simply predictions and are being done for fun because it's fun to look ahead to try and gauge what can potentially happen, but always remember, the game is played on grass not on the field!

For the first part of this report, let's focus on the top heavy American League West. The AL West is comprised of the reigning and still stellar Houston Astros, the Oakland Athletics who caught everyone off guard last year by clinching a postseason berth, along with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Seattle Mariners, and Texas Rangers. The Angels continue to somehow always find a way to stay in the middle of the pack, but haven't been able to put together much over the past few seasons, while the Mariners are entering a season of transition and the Rangers continue to navigate their way through the rebuild process with an eye on the 2020 season - the year when their new home stadium opens up down in Arlington. Regardless, the AL West has the potential to be a surprise division because no one knows quite what to expect of the Angels and the Mariners, as well as the Rangers, could always surprise us all even though it looks like both are non-contenders on paper.

With that being said, here is how we expect the American League West to look when all is said and done.

1. Houston Astros (AL West Champions) 

• Projected Record: 98-64 
• Winning Percentage: .605 
• Team MVP: 2B Jose Altuve 

Even though the Houston Astros are short in their starting rotation, don't expect that to be the Achilles heel that holds them back from winning the AL West once again. The Astros know they have the right arms in-house to replace the likes of Charlie Morton, Lance McCullers Jr. who is out recovering from Tommy John surgery, and the probable absence of Dallas Keuchel. Don't be surprised if both Josh James and Forrest Whitley play integral roles in helping the Astros rotation by the end of the year and never count out an offense that includes easily the best 1-5 hitters in the game of baseball. 

2. Oakland Athletics 

• Projected Record: 85-77 
• Winning Percentage: .525 
• Team MVP: 3B Matt Chapman 

The 2018 season gifted the Oakland Athletics with a surprise postseason berth and they did it with some team magic, a starting rotation that consisted of unlikely names to succeed, and witnessed first-hand the emergence of the Matt Show (referring to Matt Olson and Matt Chapman). While the Matt Show will likely impress once again this coming season, the shortfalls within Oakland's starting rotation will probably hold them back from experiencing similar success to what they did last season. However, that's not to say that everyone should discount Oakland altogether because as they showed last season, when you have 25 guys and every coach buying into the same goal and mission, anything is possible. 

3. Seattle Mariners 

• Projected Record: 77-85
• Winning Percentage: .475 
• Team MVP: RF Mitch Haniger 

In what could be one of the bigger upsets this coming season, the Seattle Mariners are going to find a way to surprise everyone and finish in third place amid the AL West. While they might be in a bit of a transitional period or a modest rebuild, the Mariners still have some intriguing pieces in guys like: Yusei Kikuchi, Edwin Encarnacon, Mallex Smith, and Mitch Haniger. Haniger is one of those guys that is just primed to take off and it wouldn't be any surprise to see him do it this year. Seattle already had bad luck this spring, when they found out that third baseman Kyle Seager would be sidelined until June, but that won't stop the team from giving it their all everyday on the field. 

4. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 

• Projected Record: 74-88 
• Winning Percentage: .457 
• Team MVP: CF Mike Trout 

Even with Mike Trout in tow, the Angels aren't that much different from the team they had last season. In fact, you could make the argument that the Angels simply did not do enough to put themselves in a better position to win this season or to convince Mike Trout that he has a forever home there in Orange County. Instead of signing Dallas Keuchel, who has experience pitching in the AL West, the Angels elected to sign Matt Harvey and Trevor Cahill which is only going to lead to more questions regarding their starting rotation. Regardless, outside of pitching, the Angels should do just fine from an offensive prospective with an offense consisting of the likes of the aforementioned Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Justin Upton, Justin Bour, and Kole Calhoun. 

5. Texas Rangers 

• Projected Record: 70-92 
• Winning Percentage: .432 
• Team MVP: RP Jose Leclerc 

The Texas Rangers are certainly entering a season of transition, as they continue to navigate their way, through the rebuild process this year. They have a new manager in Chris Woodward, are going to be without Future Hall of Famer, Adrian Beltre, and will have their eyes set to next season when the team officially moves into their new stadium. Still, the Rangers have an impressive core group of players with Joey Gallo, Nomar Mazara, Rougned Odor, and Elvis Andrus, but the pitching is the problem with their squad. When you look at the Rangers starting rotation, it consists of almost all guys who have previously had Tommy John surgery. Maybe that will end up being a good thing for the Rangers because as they say, sometimes you come back stronger than ever, after having Tommy John. 

Now that the American League West has been discussed in length, let's transition over to the other division out west - the National League West. The NL West has been dominated the last six years by the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the Colorado Rockies certainly gave the Dodgers a run for their money almost beating them to the division crown last season. Outside of the Dodgers and Rockies are the Arizona Diamondbacks, a team that has taken a step back with the trade of Paul Goldschmidt this offseason, but could potentially make some noise this coming season. Beyond those three are the San Francisco Giants and the San Diego Padres. For the Giants, the 2019 regular season could be one of surprise or one of disappointment following quite a run, especially for their manager Bryce Bochy, who announced that this coming season would be his last. Meanwhile, for the San Diego Padres, they will continue to look to take strides forward and continue to build up the core of their team with all eyes set to the future. 

With that being said, here is how we expect the National League West to look when all is said and done. 

1. Colorado Rockies (NL West Champions) 

• Projected Record: 92-70 
• Winning Percentage: .568 
• Team MVP: 3B Nolan Arenado 

After losing out on the NL West division crown for the past six seasons, the Colorado Rockies are going to make some serious noise and find a way to accomplish something that many likely don't see them doing. In fact, don't be surprised if the Rockies finish with one of the top records in the entire National League this season because of their offensive core and deep bullpen. Last season, the bullpen failed to hold up it's entire end of the bargain, but this year is going to be different and when you mix that with a successful, young starting rotation, the results are promising. 

2. Los Angeles Dodgers 

• Projected Record: 84-78 
• Winning Percentage: .519 
• Team MVP: SS Corey Seager 

After losing both Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp this offseason and failing to land Bryce Harper, like many fans wanted the team to, the Los Angeles Dodgers are going to be betting on quite a bit to go right if they want to win the division this season. They will need Max Muncy, Cody Bellinger, and AJ Pollock to all step up to the plate and help to really carry the bulk of the offense. With that being said, there is still plenty of talent on this roster with Ross Stripling and Walker Buehler in the starting rotation, but there still has to be caution exercised regarding Clayton Kershaw and his back. When all is said and done, things likely won't be close between the Rockies and Dodgers and the Dodgers will find themselves sitting out of the postseason for the first time in six years. 

3. Arizona Diamondbacks 

• Projected Record: 82-80 
• Winning Percentage: .506 
• Team MVP: LF David Peralta 

Heading into this season, the Arizona Diamondbacks are the one team in the National League that could potentially surprise everyone, but it's going to take a lot for them to find a way to make the postseason. However, you still have to like the overall mentality and grit of the ball club, the leadership that skipper, Torey Lovullo, provides in the clubhouse, and some of the talented pieces that are part of the 25-man roster including: David Peralta, Steven Souza Jr., Zack Greinke, Robbie Ray, and Archie Bradley. This year's Dbacks squad might find a way to lie in the weeds and attack their predators, but it might be end up being a smaller snake bite than in recent years. 

4. San Diego Padres 

• Projected Record: 81-81 
• Winning Percentage: .500 
• Team MVP: SS Fernando Tatis Jr. 

Coming off an offseason in which the team inked free agent shortstop, Manny Machado, to a 10-year, $300 million dollar deal, the optimism and expectations of San Diego Padre fans have changed in a matter of weeks. The team now is in a better position to make some noise within the National League West, as well as the National League, and while that likely won't lead them to being in contention during any part of the coming season, the Padres will still be a fun team to watch. Now that they have Eric Hosmer and Manny Machado helping to anchor down their lineup, other important offensive pieces like: Fernando Tatis Jr., Hunter Renfroe, and Wil Myers should be able to all take that next step forward as well. 

5. San Francisco Giants 

• Projected Record: 73-89
• Winning Percentage: .451 
• Team MVP: 2B Joe Panik 

In what will be skipper, Bruce Bochy's, farewell tour the San Francisco Giants are poised to continue to head in the wrong direction this year and continue focusing on trying to build for the future. While that is going to continue to be a challenge for General Manager, Farhan Zaidi who the team hired over from the division rival Los Angeles Dodgers this past November, there should still be a handful of pieces up for grabs come the July 31st Trade Deadline. One of the more exciting parts of this season for Giants fans will be watching Madison Bumgarner continue to hone his craft throwing to Buster Posey. Although Bruce Bochy stated that he would love to make one more trip back to the postseason before retiring, it just doesn't look like it's in the cards for this year's Giants squad.