> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://baseballthings.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # American League West Review: December 15, 2022 - URL: https://baseballthings.com/american-league-west-review/ - Published: 2022-12-15T08:01:00.000Z - Updated: 2022-12-15T08:01:00.000Z - Description: Time to catch up on what each AL West club has done this winter. - Author: Jason A. Churchill - Tags: Newsletter, #Migrated-1788137406209, #Import 2026-08-30 20:52 This winter hasn’t gone as most would have expected, but most of it is good for the Seattle Mariners, considering how things *could* have transpired, particularly in Houston… so far. **Houston Astros** **In:** 1B [Jose Abreu](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/abreujo02.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral) **Out:** RHP[Justin Verlander](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/verlaju01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral) (NYM), UT [Aledmys Diaz](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/diazal02.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral) (OAK), C [Christian Vazquez](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vazquch01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral) (MIN) **FAs:** OF [Michael Brantley](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/brantmi02.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), 1B [Yuli Gurriel](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gourryu01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), LHP [Will Smith](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=smithwi05,smithwi04,smith-091wil,smith-088wil,smith-086wil&search=Will+Smith&utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral) **Projected 40-man Payroll:** $182.65M Losing Verlander is a big blow, but not unexpected. The Astros’ bullpen remains in tact, and their lineup got better with the addition of Abreu (essentially replacing Gurriel, who struggled big-time in 2022). But they still need more offense from the catcher spot and in the outfield, where they are linked to Brantley, [Andrew Benintendi](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/beninan01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), [Michael Conforto](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/confomi01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), [Bryan Reynolds](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/reynobr01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), [Joey Gallo](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gallojo01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), [Jurickson Profar](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/profaju01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), and others. I wonder if the Astros would give [Gary Sanchez](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/sanchga02.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral) a one-year deal. In that ballpark, his pull power would play very well, even if he’s a 40-grade catcher and mostly a DH. [Tucker Barnhart](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/barnhtu01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral) also should be on their radar. [![](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ee5ce5b4-1039-448a-a8ad-14ebdcf59974_2048x1365.jpeg)](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/abreujo02.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral) [José Abreu](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ee5ce5b4-1039-448a-a8ad-14ebdcf59974%5F2048x1365.jpeg?ref=baseballthings.com)","title":null,"type":null,"href":null,"belowTheFold":false,"internalRedirect":null}" class="sizing-normal" alt="Houston Astros: Team culture a big lure for José Abreu" title="Houston Astros: Team culture a big lure for José Abreu" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w\_424,c\_limit,f\_auto,q\_auto:good,fl\_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fee5ce5b4-1039-448a-a8ad-14ebdcf59974\_2048x1365.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w\_848,c\_limit,f\_auto,q\_auto:good,fl\_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fee5ce5b4-1039-448a-a8ad-14ebdcf59974\_2048x1365.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w\_1272,c\_limit,f\_auto,q\_auto:good,fl\_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fee5ce5b4-1039-448a-a8ad-14ebdcf59974\_2048x1365.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w\_1456,c\_limit,f\_auto,q\_auto:good,fl\_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fbucketeer-e05bbc84-baa3-437e-9518-adb32be77984.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fee5ce5b4-1039-448a-a8ad-14ebdcf59974\_2048x1365.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"> --- **PODCAST:** [A 3-Team Deal for Bryan Reynolds](https://www.patreon.com/posts/3-team-deal-for-75812758?ref=baseballthings.com) --- **Seattle Mariners** **In:** OF [Teoscar Hernandez](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hernate01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), 2B [Kolten Wong](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wongko01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), RHP [Trevor Gott](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gotttr01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), OF/C [Cooper Hummel](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hummeco01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), RHP [Chris Clarke](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=clarke000chr&utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral) **Out:** LHP [Matthew Boyd](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/boydma01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), OF [Mitch Haniger](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hanigmi01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), 1B [Carlos Santana](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=santaca01,santan005car&search=Carlos+Santana&utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), RHP [Erik Swanson](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/swanser01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), OF [Kyle Lewis](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=lewisky01,lewis-003kyl,lewis-002kyl&search=Kyle+Lewis&utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), OF [Jesse Winker](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/winkeje01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), UT [Abraham Toro](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/toroab01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral) **FAs:** C [Luis Torrens](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/torrelu01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), C [Curt Casali](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/casalcu01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), 2B [Adam Frazier](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/fraziad01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral) **Projected 40-man Payroll:** $177.63M Seattle still has offensive needs — in a perfect world it’s free agent Michael Conforto or a trade for Bryan Reynolds, plus either an infield bat capable of playing some 3B, or an OF capable of playing either 3B, 1B or both. But the Mariners’ bullpen also is short at least one arm — I don’t buy the idea they can handle it all in-house — and an upgrade of the No. 5 spot in the rotation could add value they’re still missing in the lineup ([Nathan Eovaldi](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/e/eovalna01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), [Cal Quantrill](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/q/quantca01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), [Jordan Lyles](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lylesjo01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), [Blake Snell](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/snellbl01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), [Tarik Skubal](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/skubata01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), [Mitch Keller](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kellemi03.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), [JT Brubaker](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/brubajt01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral)). ![Mariners acquire slugger Teoscar Hernandez from Blue Jays in blockbuster trade](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/cf784c30-de80-43a1-8c11-3bf4451d1b7b_1890x1060.jpeg) **Los Angeles Angels** **In:** RHP [Carlos Estevez](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/e/estevca01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), RHP [Chris Devenski](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/devench02.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), RF [Hunter Renfroe](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/renfrhu01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), 3B [Gio Urshela](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/u/urshegi01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), LHP [Tyler Anderson](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=anderty01,anders010tyl,anders005tyl&search=Tyler+Anderson&utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral) **Out:** RHP [Elvis Peguero](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pegueel01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), RHP Jason Junk, RHP [Alejandro Hidalgo](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=hidalg000ale&utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral) **FAs:** RHP [Michael Lorenzen](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lorenmi01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), RHP [Archie Bradley](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bradlar01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), C [Kurt Suzuki](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/suzukku01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral) **Projected 40-man Payroll:** $197.96M The Angels’rotation actually pitched well in 2022, finishing the year ranked No. 6 in baseball in xFIP, and Anderson adds more depth behind Shoehi Ohtani, [Patrick Sandoval](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/sandopa02.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), and [Jose Suarez](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=suarejo01,suarez009jos,suarejo02&search=Jos%C3%A9+Suarez&utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), and stop sleeping on [Reid Detmers](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/detmere01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), who posted a 3.79 FIP and league average xFIP in 25 starts and threw strikes all year. Anaheim lacks impact after Ohtani and in the bullpen, but the winter is young. ![Tyler Anderson leaves Dodgers for Angels on three-year contract](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e6d61b8a-e038-456c-a7b1-21aff4a68d99_1200x673.jpeg) **Texas Rangers** **In:** RHP [Jacob deGrom](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/degroja01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), LHP [Andrew Heaney](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/heanean01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), RHP [Jake Odorizzi](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/odorija01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral) **Out:** LHP [Kolby Allard](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/allarko01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), 2B [Andy Ibanez](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/i/ibanean01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), 2B [Nick Solak](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/solakni01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral) **FAs:** OF [Kole Calhoun](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/calhoko01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), C [Matt Moore](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=moorema02,moore-007mat,moore-006mat&search=Matt+Moore&utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral) **Projected 40-man Payroll:** $204.2M Signing deGrom is obviously huge and if he gives them even 25 start in 2023 t’s going to make the Rangers a pest. But to compete they will need more from their rotation as a whole. Right-hander [Dane Dunning](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dunnida01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral) has some upside left to fill and both [Jon Gray](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/grayjo02.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral) and [Martin Perez](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/perezma02.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral) are back, but as of right now Texas lacks depth, and the bullpen is an arm or two short, too. Also, [Nathaniel Lowe](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lowena01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), [Corey Seager](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/seageco01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), [Marcus Semien](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/semiema01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), andJonah Heim headline what should be a good lineup, but they ranked No. 12 in runs scored, and No. 19 in wRC+ a year ago. ![Rangers ink Mets ace Jacob deGrom to massive 5-year, $185 million deal](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/211e6205-e8c2-418a-8e95-f46a6561500e_1200x673.jpeg) **Oakland Athletics** **In:** OF [Brent Rooker](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rookebr01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), 2B [Jace Peterson](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/peterja01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), UT Aledmys Diaz, OF Esteury Diaz, LHP [Kyle Muller](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=mulleky01,muller001kyl&search=Kyle+Muller&utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), C [Manny Pina](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pinama01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral) **Out:** C [Sean Murphy](https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=murphse01,murphy010sea&search=Sean+Murphy&utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral) **FAs:** OF [Chad Pinder](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pindech01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral), C [Stephen Vogt](https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vogtst01.shtml?utm%5Fcampaign=Linker&utm%5Fsource=&utm%5Fmedium=referral) (retired) The one sure thing in this division used to be the A’s surprising and winning more than anyone expected. Those days are gone. ![Guardians miss out on Sean Murphy as A's trade catcher to Braves in 3-team deal - cleveland.com](https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/5db2e255-b9d6-49d2-8358-41e0ce8b9ff6_1280x960.jpeg)