Here’s a team-by-team look at the American League West entering spring training, including key players each club acquired and lost, and dates of the first workout for pitchers and catchers, and the full squad:
Texas Rangers
Manager: Jeff Banister (third season).
2016: 95-67, first place, lost to Toronto in ALDS.
Training Town: Surprise, Arizona.
Park: Surprise Stadium.
First Workout: Feb. 15/21.
He’s Here: RHP Andrew Cashner, RHP Tyson Ross, 1B James Loney.
He’s Outta Here: LHP Derek Holland, CF Ian Desmond, DH Carlos Beltran, 1B Mitch Moreland, RHP Colby Lewis.
Going campin’: The Rangers won an AL-high 95 games last year and have been West champions in both seasons under Banister, but they are five seasons removed from back-to-back World Series appearances (2010-11). They are set at the top of the rotation with Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish, while young lefty Martin Perez is coming off 33 starts. New additions Ross and Cashner are former Padres teammates. Moreland, a Gold Glove winner, Desmond and Beltran left in free agency. Mike Napoli is set to rejoin the team for a third stint to play first base. Carlos Gomez will move to center field, where he was a two-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner in Milwaukee, after hitting eight homers in 33 games for Texas at the end of last season. The DH spot will be flexible, and possible options include 2010 AL MVP and five-time All-Star outfielder Josh Hamilton, in camp on a minor league deal and working at first base after missing last season following three operations on his left knee.
Seattle Mariners
Manager: Scott Servais (second season).
2016: 86-76, second place.
Training Town: Peoria, Arizona.
Park: Peoria Stadium.
First Workout: Feb. 15/19.
He’s Here: SS Jean Segura, OF Jarrod Dyson, 1B-3B Danny Valencia, OF Mitch Haniger, RHP Yovani Gallardo, LHP Drew Smyly, C Carlos Ruiz, RHP Shae Simmons, LHP Marc Rzepczynski, RHP Casey Fien.
He’s Outta Here: RHP Taijuan Walker, 1B Adam Lind, OF Nori Aoki, 1B Dae-Ho Lee, OF Franklin Gutierrez, LHP Wade Miley, RHP Nathan Karns, LHP Vidal Nuno, RHP Tom Wilhelmsen, RHP Drew Storen, C Jesus Sucre.
Going campin’: The Mariners are coming off a surprising 86-win campaign that kept them in the playoff chase until the next-to-last day of the regular season. Servais accomplished his first-year task of changing the culture in the clubhouse, buoyed in part by huge seasons from Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz. But the roster makeover by general manager Jerry Dipoto didn’t stop after one season. The Mariners were extremely active in the offseason, completing 12 trades in an attempt to get younger and more athletic. The outfield is completely changed with the additions of Dyson and Haniger, and the starting rotation is deeper thanks to the acquisitions of Gallardo and Smyly. Most of the open jobs in spring training will be rounding out the bullpen and bench. Otherwise, the Mariners appear mostly set.
Houston Astros
Manager: A.J. Hinch (third season).
2016: 84-78, third place.
Training Town: West Palm Beach, Florida.
Park: The Ballpark of Palm Beaches.
First Workout: Feb. 15/18.
He’s Here: OF Josh Reddick, C Brian McCann, DH-OF Carlos Beltran, RHP Charlie Morton, OF Norichika Aoki, LHP Ashur Tolliver.
He’s Outta Here: C Jason Castro, RHP Pat Neshek, OF Colby Rasmus, 3B Luis Valbuena, RHP Doug Fister.
Going campin’: A slow start of 7-17 left the Astros in a deep hole early last season, and despite steady improvement throughout, that proved too much to overcome as they just missed reaching the playoffs for a second consecutive season. They spent significant money to bring in some veterans for the first time in years by adding Beltran, Reddick and McCann to their talented young core. The infield should again be the strength of the team behind the work of AL batting champion Jose Altuve and shortstop Carlos Correa. Houston hopes pitchers Dallas Keuchel and Lance McCullers will put last season’s struggles and injuries behind them to anchor the rotation. Perhaps the only big question entering camp in their new spring training home is, who will close for the Astros? They manned the job by committee last season following Ken Giles’ early struggles during his first season in Houston. If the veterans mesh well with the young core and Keuchel rebounds to lead the rotation, the Astros expect to not only compete for the AL West title, but make a deep postseason run.
Los Angeles Angels
Manager: Mike Scioscia (18th season).
2016: 74-88, fourth place.
Training Town: Tempe, Arizona.
Park: Tempe Diablo Stadium.
First Workout: Feb. 15/18.
He’s Here: OF Cameron Maybin, 2B Danny Espinosa, INF Luis Valbuena, OF Ben Revere, RHP Jesse Chavez, C Martin Maldonado.
He’s Outta Here: RHP Jered Weaver, LHP C.J. Wilson, RHP Jhoulys Chacin, INF Gregorio Petit, C Jett Bandy.
Going campin’: The Angels return from their worst season of Scioscia’s long tenure with hopes for a quick rebound. Despite the salary constraints caused by owner Arte Moreno’s free-spending past, GM Billy Eppler capably addressed the Angels’ two biggest lineup problems by putting the well-rounded Maybin in left field and Orange County native Espinosa at second base. Eppler even added veteran depth behind them with Revere and Valbuena, who could also play extensively at first base if Albert Pujols returns slowly from offseason foot surgery. Scioscia must figure out his rotation this spring, and the Angels might still be looking to add starting pitching. They’re hoping Garrett Richards reclaims top form after deciding against Tommy John surgery, while Matt Shoemaker is returning from a line drive off his head. The Angels’ goal is to capitalize on the prime of two-time AL MVP Mike Trout, who says he still has room to improve.
Oakland Athletics
Manager: Bob Melvin (seventh season).
2016: 69-93, fifth place.
Training Town: Mesa, Arizona.
Park: Hohokam Stadium.
First Workout: Feb. 15/19.
He’s Here: 3B Trevor Plouffe, RHP Santiago Casilla, RF Matt Joyce, CF Rajai Davis, 3B Adam Rosales, RHP Paul Blackburn, LF Alejandro De Aza.
He’s Outta Here: 3B Danny Valencia, CF Brett Eibner, LHP Dillon Overton.
Going campin’: The A’s are coming off a second straight last-place finish and the worst two-year run for the franchise since 1978-79, before Billy Ball, the Bash Brothers or Moneyball. Oakland spent much of last season shedding some of its top players like Josh Reddick, Rich Hill and Coco Crisp before losing them in free agency. New team president Dave Kaval has helped excite the fan base with talk of a potential new stadium in Oakland and more amenities. Improving the product on the field would help even more. It starts with ace Sonny Gray, who won just five games in an injury-plagued season last year. LF Khris Davis (42 homers) and SS Marcus Semien (27 homers) provide the power in a lineup that gets a jolt of speed with Davis’ return to Oakland. A bullpen led by Ryan Madson, Sean Doolittle, John Axford and Casilla also figures to be a strength.