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 1969 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 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.[1] That move gives all six MLB divisions an equal five teams and both leagues an equal 15 teams each.
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.
Membership timeline
Place cursor over year for division champion or World Series team.
E Chicago, Kansas City, and Minnesota moved into the newly created AL Central due to the 1994 realignment.
F 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.
† – 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.
* – From 2012 to 2019, and in 2021, the Wild Card was expanded to two teams. Those teams faced each other in the Wild Card Game to determine the final participant in the American League Division Series. In 2020 only, eight teams, including the three division winners, played in a best-of-three Wild Card Series, with the winners advancing to the Division Series. Starting in 2022, the Wild Card field was increased to three teams, and along with the lowest-ranked division winner, qualified for the best-of-three Wild Card Series to determine the remaining two slots in the Division Series.
1981: Due to the player's strike, the season was split and a Division Series was created to pit the first and second half champions from each division. The Oakland Athletics won the first half and the Kansas City Royals won the second half. The Athletics won the ALDS 3–0 to claim the American League East championship.
2020: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the season was shortened to 60 games. The postseason field was expanded to eight teams and the wild-card round became a best-of-three series.
a Seattle and California were tied for the division championship and played in a tie-breaker game. The Mariners won 9–1 to claim the division crown.
b Anaheim and Minnesota of the American League Central were tied for the second and third seed, but the Angels claimed the second seed by winning the season series 5–4.
c Los Angeles and New York Yankees of the American League East were tied for the second and third seed, but the Angels claimed the second seed by winning the season series 6–4.
d Texas and Tampa Bay of the American League East were tied for the second wild-card berth and played in a tie-breaker game. The Rangers lost 5–2 and were eliminated from postseason contention.
e Texas and Houston were tied for the division lead, but the Astros claimed the division by winning the season series 9–4.
* – Won division via tiebreaker
§ indicates no longer in division since 1972, and no longer part of AL since 1998
† indicates no longer in division since 1994
Totals updated through conclusion of the 2024 postseason.
