| League | American League |
|---|---|
| Sport | Major League Baseball |
| Founded | 1969 |
| No. of teams | 5 |
| Most recent champion(s) | Houston Astros (2022; 5th title) |
| Most titles | Oakland Athletics (17) |
The American League West is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. 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 and Milwaukee. From 1998 (when the NL West expanded to five teams) to 2012, the AL West was the only MLB division with four teams.
When MLB split into divisions for the 1969 season, the American League, unlike the National League, split its 12 teams strictly on geography. The six teams located in the Eastern Time Zone were all placed in the AL East, and the remaining six were placed in the new AL West.
When the second incarnation of the Washington Senators announced their intention to move to the Dallas-Fort Worth area for the 1972 season and become the Texas Rangers, American League owners voted to switch the Rangers with the Milwaukee Brewers, who began as the Seattle Pilots in 1969. The Chicago White Sox asked the AL to move from West to East, citing that five of the original eight American League franchises were in the East. The Oakland Athletics and Minnesota Twins objected to the White Sox' request; the Twins also did not want the Brewers to leave the West.
In 2013, the Houston Astros went from the National League Central to the AL West.[1] That move gives all six MLB divisions an equal five teams and both leagues an equal 15 teams each.
| AL West Division[A] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Years | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 |
| California Angels[F] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chicago White Sox[E] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oakland Athletics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kansas City Royals[E] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota Twins[E] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Seattle Pilots[B] |
Milwaukee Brewers[C] |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Texas Rangers[C] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Seattle Mariners[D] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| AL West Division[A] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | |
| Anaheim Angels[F] | Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim[F] | Los Angeles Angels[F] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oakland Athletics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Texas Rangers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Seattle Mariners | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Houston Astros[G] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team not in division Division Won World Series Division Won AL Championship | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
† – Due to the players' strike, the season was split in two. The Athletics won the first half and defeated the second-half winner, the Kansas City Royals, to win the division.
§ – Due to the 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike, starting on August 12, no official winner was declared. The Texas Rangers were leading in winning percentage at time of the strike.
* – Seattle defeated the California Angels in a one-game playoff for the division title, 9–1.
†† – Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the season was shortened to 60 games. By virtue of the eight-team postseason format used for that season, division runner-up Houston also qualified for the playoffs.
| Year | Winner | Record | % | GB | Playoff Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Seattle Mariners | 91–71 | .562 | .5 | Won ALDS (White Sox) 3–0 Lost ALCS (Yankees) 4–2 |
| 2001 | Oakland Athletics | 102–60 | .630 | 14 | Lost ALDS (Yankees) 3–2 |
| 2002 | Anaheim Angels | 99–63 | .611 | 4 | Won ALDS (Yankees) 3–1 Won ALCS (Twins) 4–1 Won World Series (Giants) 4–3 |
| 2012 | Texas Rangers* | 93–69 | .574 | 1 | Lost ALWC (Orioles) |
| 2014 | Oakland Athletics* | 88–74 | .543 | 10 | Lost ALWC (Royals) |
| 2015 | Houston Astros* | 86–76 | .531 | 2 | Won ALWC (Yankees) Lost ALDS (Royals) 3–2 |
| 2018 | Oakland Athletics* | 97–65 | .599 | 6 | Lost ALWC (Yankees) |
| 2019 | Oakland Athletics* | 97–65 | .599 | 10 | Lost ALWC (Rays) |
| 2020 | Houston Astros* | 29–31 | .483 | 7 | Won ALWC (Twins) 2–0 Won ALDS (Athletics) 3–1 Lost ALCS (Rays) 4–3 |
| 2022 | Seattle Mariners* | 90–72 | .556 | 16 | Won ALWC (Blue Jays) 2–0 Lost ALDS (Astros) 3–0 |
* – From 2012 to 2019, and in 2021, the Wild Card was expanded to two teams. Those teams faced each other in the Wild Card Game to determine the final participant in the American League Division Series. In 2020 only, eight teams, including the three division winners, played in a best-of-three Wild Card Series, with the winners advancing to the Division Series. Starting in 2022, the Wild Card field was increased to three teams, and along with the lowest-ranked division winner, qualified for the best-of-three Wild Card Series to determine the remaining two slots in the Division Series.
| (#) | Denotes team that won the World Series |
| (#) | Denotes team that won the American League pennant, but lost World Series |
| (#) | Denotes team that qualified for the MLB postseason |
| Season | Team (record) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | |
| |||||||
| 1969 | Minnesota (97–65) | Oakland (88–74) | California (71–91) | Kansas City (69–93) | Chicago White Sox (68–94) | Seattle (64–98) | |
| |||||||
| 1970 | Minnesota (98–64) | Oakland (89–73) | California (86–76) | Kansas City (65–97) | Milwaukee (65–97) | Chicago White Sox (56–106) | |
| 1971 | Oakland (101–60) | Kansas City (85–76) | Chicago White Sox (79–83) | California (76–86) | Minnesota (74–86) | Milwaukee (69–92) | |
| |||||||
| 1972 | Oakland (93–62) | Chicago White Sox (87–67) | Minnesota (77–77) | Kansas City (76–78) | California (75–80) | Texas (54–100) | |
| 1973 | Oakland (94–68) | Kansas City (88–74) | Minnesota (81–81) | California (79–83) | Chicago White Sox (77–85) | Texas (57–105) | |
| 1974 | Oakland (90–72) | Texas (84–76) | Minnesota (82–80) | Chicago White Sox (80–80) | Kansas City (77–85) | California (68–94) | |
| 1975 | Oakland (98–64) | Kansas City (91–71) | Texas (79–83) | Minnesota (76–83) | Chicago White Sox (75–86) | California (72–89) | |
| 1976 | Kansas City (90–72) | Oakland (87–74) | Minnesota (85–77) | Texas (76–86) | California (76–86) | Chicago White Sox (64–97) | |
| |||||||
| 1977 | Kansas City (102–60) | Texas (94–68) | Chicago White Sox (90–72) | Minnesota (84–77) | California (74–88) | Seattle (64–98) | Oakland (63–98) |
| 1978 | Kansas City (92–70) | Texas (87–75) | California (87–75) | Minnesota (73–89) | Chicago White Sox (71–90) | Oakland (69–93) | Seattle (56–104) |
| 1979 | California (88–74) | Kansas City (85–77) | Texas (83–79) | Minnesota (82–80) | Chicago White Sox (73–87) | Seattle (67–95) | Oakland (54–108) |
| 1980 | Kansas City (97–65) | Oakland (83–79) | Minnesota (77–84) | Texas (76–85) | Chicago White Sox (70–90) | California (65–95) | Seattle (59–103) |
| |||||||
| 1981 | Oakland (64–45) | Texas (57–48) | Chicago White Sox (54–52) | Kansas City (50–53) | California (51–59) | Seattle (44–65) | Minnesota (41–68) |
| 1982 | California (93–69) | Kansas City (90–72) | Chicago White Sox (87–75) | Seattle (76–86) | Oakland (68–94) | Texas (64–98) | Minnesota (60–102) |
| 1983 | Chicago White Sox (99–63) | Kansas City (79–83) | Texas (77–85) | Oakland (74–88) | California (70–92) | Minnesota (70–92) | Seattle (60–102) |
| 1984 | Kansas City (84–78) | California (81–81) | Minnesota (81–81) | Oakland (77–85) | Chicago White Sox (74–88) | Seattle (74–88) | Texas (69–92) |
| 1985 | Kansas City (91–71) | California (90–72) | Chicago White Sox (85–77) | Minnesota (77–85) | Oakland (77–85) | Seattle (74–88) | Texas (62–99) |
| 1986 | California (92–70) | Texas (87–75) | Kansas City (76–86) | Oakland (76–86) | Chicago White Sox (72–90) | Minnesota (71–91) | Seattle (67–95) |
| 1987 | Minnesota (85–77) | Kansas City (83–79) | Oakland (81–81) | Seattle (78–84) | Chicago White Sox (77–85) | Texas (75–87) | California (75–87) |
| 1988 | Oakland (104–58) | Minnesota (91–71) | Kansas City (84–77) | California (75–87) | Chicago White Sox (71–90) | Texas (70–91) | Seattle (68–93) |
| 1989 | Oakland (99–63) | Kansas City (92–70) | California (91–71) | Texas (83–79) | Minnesota (80–82) | Seattle (73–89) | Chicago White Sox (69–92) |
| 1990 | Oakland (103–59) | Chicago White Sox (94–68) | Texas (83–79) | California (80–82) | Seattle (77–85) | Kansas City (75–86) | Minnesota (74–88) |
| 1991 | Minnesota (95–67) | Chicago White Sox (87–75) | Texas (85–77) | Oakland (84–78) | Seattle (83–79) | Kansas City (82–80) | California (81–81) |
| 1992 | Oakland (96–66) | Minnesota (90–72) | Chicago White Sox (86–76) | Texas (77–85) | California (72–90) | Kansas City (72–90) | Seattle (64–98) |
| 1993 | Chicago White Sox (94–68) | Texas (86–76) | Kansas City (84–78) | Seattle (82–80) | California (71–91) | Minnesota (71–91) | Oakland (68–94) |
| |||||||
| 1994 | Texas (52–62) | Oakland (51–63) | Seattle (49–63) | California (47–68) | |||
| 1995 | (3) Seattle[a] (79–66) | California (78–67) | Texas (74–70) | Oakland (67–77) | |||
| 1996 | (3) Texas (90–72) | Seattle (85–76) | Oakland (78–84) | California (70–91) | |||
| |||||||
| 1997 | (2) Seattle (90–72) | Anaheim (84–78) | Texas (77–85) | Oakland (65–97) | |||
| 1998 | (3) Texas (88–74) | Anaheim (85–77) | Seattle (76–85) | Oakland (74–88) | |||
| 1999 | (3) Texas (95–67) | Oakland (87–75) | Seattle (79–83) | Anaheim (70–92) | |||
| 2000 | (2) Oakland (91–70) | (4) Seattle (91–71) | Anaheim (82–80) | Texas (71–91) | |||
| 2001 | (1) Seattle (116–46) | (4) Oakland (102–60) | Anaheim (75–87) | Texas (73–89) | |||
| 2002 | (2) Oakland (103–59) | (4) Anaheim (99–63) | Seattle (93–69) | Texas (72–90) | |||
| 2003 | (2) Oakland (96–66) | Seattle (93–69) | Anaheim (77–85) | Texas (71–91) | |||
| 2004 | (2) Anaheim[b] (92–70) | Oakland (91–71) | Texas (89–73) | Seattle (63–99) | |||
| |||||||
| 2005 | (2) L.A. Angels[c] (95–67) | Oakland (88–74) | Texas (79–83) | Seattle (69–93) | |||
| 2006 | (3) Oakland (93–69) | L.A. Angels (89–73) | Texas (80–82) | Seattle (78–84) | |||
| 2007 | (3) L.A. Angels (94–68) | Seattle (88–74) | Oakland (76–86) | Texas (75–87) | |||
| 2008 | (1) L.A. Angels (100–62) | Texas (79–83) | Oakland (75–86) | Seattle (61–101) | |||
| 2009 | (2) L.A. Angels (97–65) | Texas (87–75) | Seattle (85–77) | Oakland (75–87) | |||
| 2010 | (3) Texas (90–72) | Oakland (81–81) | L.A. Angels (80–82) | Seattle (61–101) | |||
| 2011 | (2) Texas (96–66) | L.A. Angels (86–76) | Oakland (74–88) | Seattle (67–95) | |||
| 2012 | (2) Oakland (94–68) | (4) Texas (93–69) | L.A. Angels (89–73) | Seattle (75–87) | |||
| |||||||
| 2013 | (2) Oakland (96–66) | Texas[d] (91–72) | L.A. Angels (78–84) | Seattle (71–91) | Houston (51–111) | ||
| 2014 | (1) L.A. Angels (98–64) | (5) Oakland (88–74) | Seattle (87–75) | Houston (70–92) | Texas (67–95) | ||
| 2015 | (3) Texas (88–74) | (5) Houston (86–76) | L.A. Angels (85–77) | Seattle (76–86) | Oakland (68–94) | ||
| 2016 | (1) Texas (95–67) | Seattle (86–76) | Houston (84–78) | L.A. Angels (74–88) | Oakland (69–93) | ||
| 2017 | (2) Houston (101–61) | L.A. Angels (80–82) | Seattle (78–84) | Texas (78–84) | Oakland (75–87) | ||
| 2018 | (2) Houston (103–59) | (5) Oakland (97–65) | Seattle (89–73) | L.A. Angels (80–82) | Texas (67–95) | ||
| 2019 | (1) Houston (107–55) | (4) Oakland (97–65) | Texas (78–84) | L.A. Angels (72–90) | Seattle (68–94) | ||
| |||||||
| 2020 | (2) Oakland (36–24) | (6) Houston (29–31) | Seattle (27–33) | L.A. Angels (26–34) | Texas (22–38) | ||
| 2021 | (2) Houston (95–67) | Seattle (90–72) | Oakland (86–76) | L.A. Angels (77–85) | Texas (60–102) | ||
| 2022 | (1) Houston (106–56) | (5) Seattle (90–72) | L.A. Angels (73–89) | Texas (68–94) | Oakland (60–102) | ||
| Team | Division Championships |
Last Year Won | Year (s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current Teams in Division: | |||
| Oakland Athletics | 17
|
2020
|
1971–1975, 1981, 1988–1990, 1992, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2012, 2013, 2020
|
| Los Angeles Angels | 9
|
2014
|
1979, 1982, 1986, 2004, 2005, 2007–2009, 2014
|
| Texas Rangers | 7
|
2016
|
1996, 1998, 1999, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2016
|
| Houston Astros | 5
|
2022
|
2017–2019, 2021, 2022
|
| Seattle Mariners | 3
|
2001
|
1995, 1997, 2001
|
| Former Teams in Division: | |||
| Kansas City Royals | 6
|
1985
|
1976–1978 1980, 1984, 1985
|
| Minnesota Twins | 4
|
1991
|
1969, 1970, 1987, 1991
|
| Chicago White Sox | 2
|
1993
|
1983, 1993
|
| Milwaukee Brewers | 0 | —
|
|