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 Minnesota. From 1998 (when the NL West expanded to five teams) to 2012, the AL West was the only MLB division with four teams.
History
When MLB split into divisions for the 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. That move gives all six MLB divisions an equal five teams and both leagues an equal 15 teams each.
Division membership
Current members
Houston Astros - Joined in 2013; formerly from the NL West (1969–1993) and NL Central (1994–2012) Los Angeles Angels – Founding member (as the California Angels) Oakland Athletics – Founding member Seattle Mariners – Joined in 1977 as an expansion team Texas Rangers – Joined in 1972; formerly of the AL East (as the 1961–1971 Washington Senators)
Former members
Chicago White Sox – Founding member; moved to the AL Central in 1994
Kansas City Royals – Founding member; moved to the AL Central in 1994
Minnesota Twins – Founding member; moved to the AL Central in 1994
Milwaukee Brewers – Founding member (as Seattle Pilots); moved to the AL East in 1972, then to the AL Central in 1994. Eventually moved to the NL Central in 1998.
Division members
Place cursor over year for division champion or World Series team.
Creation of division due to 1969 expansion, Kansas City and Seattle added. Seattle franchise moved to Milwaukee, becoming the Brewers. Washington Senators moved to Dallas–Fort Worth, became Texas Rangers and switched divisions with Milwaukee, which moved to the AL East. Seattle added in the 1977 league expansion. Chicago, Kansas City, and Minnesota moved into the newly created AL Central due to the 1994 realignment. In 1997, California Angels become Anaheim Angels. In 2005, Anaheim Angels become Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. In 2016, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim become Los Angeles Angels. Houston switches leagues from the NL Central.
Champions by year
Team names link to the season in which each team played
† – 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. ** – The Astros and Rangers finished tied for first place with identical records. The Astros were declared division winners, due to having won the season series against the Rangers, and the Rangers received the wild card berth.
Other postseason teams
See List of American League Wild Card winners (since 1994)