The Houston Astros are the reigning AL West, American League, and World Series champs. Not only that, but they are walking into the 2023 season as the heavy favorite to repeat all their success.
That being said, the American League West is full of intriguing teams with something to prove.
The young core of the Seattle Mariners will be a dark horse for many in 2023, while the Texas Rangers are looking to make a splash after the additions of Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi, and Andrew Heaney to their starting rotation.
Also, the Los Angeles Angels could be a team to watch after a successful offseason that landed them Hunter Renfroe, Brandon Drury, Gio Urshela, and Tyler Anderson.
Let’s look at current betting odds to determine the best bet to win the 2023 AL West division.
AL West Betting Odds 2023
To see the most up-to-date AL West odds from our favorite sportsbooks, adjust the module below and select MLB - American League West - Winner:
2023 AL West MLB betting odds as of Monday, Feb. 20, 2023, at 2 p.m. ET on Caesars Sportsbook.
- Houston Astros (-215)
- Seattle Mariners (+320)
- Texas Rangers (+900)
- Los Angeles Angels (+1200)
- Oakland Athletics (+25000)
Due to the Astros’ unfavorable odds, this AL West is a complex division to bet on in 2023, unless you believe in the Mariners or wish to build a larger parlay.
AL West Best Bet 2023
Seattle Mariners Win AL West (+320) | Caesars Sportsbook
Wager: 1 Unit
Do I think the Seattle Mariners are going to win the AL West? No.
Are they the best bet because the Astros are listed at -215? Yes.
Seattle has an incredible core of young talent, headlined by the reigning AL Rookie of the Year, Julio Rodríguez. The 22-year-old is expected to bat leadoff for a Mariners lineup that includes Ty France, Eugenio Suárez, Cal Raleigh, and newcomers Kolten Wong and Teoscar Hernández.
The Mariners will produce their fair share of strikeouts when they come to the plate, but fortunately, they will also produce even more strikeouts when their starting rotation takes the mound.
Veterans Luis Castillo and Robbie Ray will anchor the pitching staff, while Logan Gilbert and George Kirby will be dangerous threats to the league for years to come. However, if their young right-handers can take a step forward in 2023, Seattle could make a surprise run at the division title.
See the latest MLB futures odds and picks
- World Series Predictions & Odds
- AL MVP Predictions & Odds
- AL Cy Young Predictions & Odds
- NL MVP Predictions & Odds
- NL Cy Young Predictions & Odds
AL West Contender 2023
Houston Astros (-215) | Caesars Sportsbook
Wager: 1 Unit
As mentioned above, the Astros are the favorite to win the AL West, and for good reason. They would be my runaway pick to take down the division crown if we were making predictions.
However, at -215, they are a poor investment as a standalone bet due to the lack of profit you’d pocket. Anything can happen in baseball, so you have to consider risk (injury), even in cases where the outcome seems obvious.
That said, talking about the AL West without at least discussing the Astros would be ridiculous.
Even without Justin Verlander, the Astros have a stacked rotation filled with Framber Valdez, Christian Javier, Lance McCullers Jr., Luis Garcia, José Urquidy, and Hunter Brown.
In addition, Houston fields one of the most effective bullpens in baseball, led by closer Ryan Pressly.
However, the real strength of the Astros is their potent offense, led by José Altuve, Kyle Tucker, Yordan Álvarez, Alex Bregman, Michael Brantley, World Series MVP Jeremy Peña, and former AL MVP José Abreu.
