Over the years, Houston’s 2017 World Series-winning roster gradually dispersed as players sought new beginnings elsewhere. George Springer found a new home in Toronto, while Alex Bregman moved on to Boston and Carlos Correa settled in Minnesota. Justin Verlander now pitches for San Francisco. Although Jose Altuve and Lance McCullers Jr. remain with the Astros, many fans speculate it’s only a matter of time before Houston’s dominance in the AL West fades.
The looming question is whether any team in the division can truly challenge Houston’s supremacy and herald a new era. Were it not for Oakland’s brief success during the truncated 2020 season, the Astros would boast a seven-year streak of AL West championships—a feat matched only by the Braves, Dodgers, and Yankees since divisional play began. However, last year saw the Astros win a modest 88 games, their fewest in a full season since 2016, relying on the division’s overall lackluster performance to stay at the top.
This season sees Houston with a 32-27 record, on track for another 88-win season and trailing first-place Seattle by just half a game. While contenders are present, each faces its set of hurdles. The Athletics started strong but faltered significantly, losing 17 of their last 18 games. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Angels seem geared for a tenth consecutive losing season, and Texas, despite a previous wild card success, has struggled offensively in 2025.
Seattle appears to be the most viable contender. Cal Raleigh leads the major leagues in home runs with 23, surpassing the likes of Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge. Luis Castillo is a key figure in their pitching staff, yet their team ERA hovers at an average 3.86. Injuries have also plagued them, with Logan Gilbert sidelined with an elbow issue throughout May. Although the Mariners haven’t clinched a division title since 2001, the opportunity is ripe for them—if they can seize it.
In an interesting trivia twist, there are six major league franchises with the peculiar distinction of never having won back-to-back division titles.
In an agonizing series, Boston faced a three-game sweep at the hands of Milwaukee, with the last two defeats delivered in dramatic walk-off scenarios. Following a tenth-inning grand slam by Christian Yelich on Tuesday, Caleb Durbin sealed Wednesday’s game with a sacrifice fly. Suffering seven walk-off losses this season, Boston holds an unfortunate record, with these defeats comprising more than a fifth of their 32 losses.
Highlighting the exceptional, Junior Caminero of Tampa Bay made headlines with a stellar performance, going 4 for 5 with two home runs, two doubles, five RBIs, and scoring four runs in a decisive 16-3 victory against Houston on Saturday. Despite a loss on Sunday, the Rays remain competitive, having secured victory in nine of their last 12 games, and trail Minnesota by just half a game for the American League’s final wild card spot.
A remarkable comeback occurred when Minnesota, trailing Seattle 6-3 with two outs in the ninth on Friday, witnessed Willi Castro’s two-run homer off closer Andrés Muñoz. Byron Buxton then singled, stole second, and scored on Trevor Larnach’s hit. Minnesota scored six runs in the 10th, clinching a dramatic 12-6 triumph. At one point, Seattle’s win probability was a staggering 98.9%, according to Baseball Savant. Despite Muñoz’s unbeaten streak, he experienced challenges, blowing a save on Sunday before ultimately securing the win.
As for the trivia answer, let’s delve into the quirks of major league history: the Miami Marlins and Colorado Rockies have never won a division title. Meanwhile, four other teams have never achieved back-to-back wins. These include the San Francisco Giants, the New York Mets, the Chicago White Sox, and the Seattle Mariners, each with instances of securing titles but never consecutively.