2024 AL West Division Odds: Can Houston Astros or Longshot Texas Rangers Catch Seattle Mariners?

Reed Wallach | Jul 20, 2024

Jul 10, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (44) hits an RBI single during the second inning against the Miami Marlins at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The Astros had a miserable start to the season, especially for the team's lofty World Series standards we have become accustomed to. 

On May 1st, Houston was 10-20 and in last place in the AL West, 6.5 games out of first place, something the club has been typically in the division for much of the past decade or so. 

However, the vaunted Astros lineup, and a revitalized pitching staff, have closed the gap, now set for a heated race down the home stretch of the season that is sure to continue this weekend against the Seattle Mariners, who are one game ahead of the Astros as the teams are set to play both Saturday and Sunday. 

Here are the odds for the AL West ahead of the July 20th matchup between the Astros and Mariners. 

2024 AL West Odds

• Astros: -130
• Mariners: +120
• Rangers: +950
• Angels: +20000
• Athletics: +50000

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Can the Astros Win the AL West? 

Houston is one game back, finally playing to its form with the likes of Hunter Brown stepping up as a key arm in the team’s revamped pitching staff. 

Meanwhile, the Mariners' pitching staff has been the backbone of the team all season as the team is in the bottom five in batting average this season with a shaky season from emerging star Julio Rodriguez. 

Houston, despite back a game, is favored to win the division, and that matches the projections at FanGraphs, who list Houston as the favorite in the division and projected to win by one game. Houston has a +76 run differential on the year, far better than the Mariners low mark of +26, the lowest of any division leader in the big leagues. 

Houston has an implied probability of 56.52% to win the AL West while the Mariners have a 45.45, per FanDuel.

The other team to watch is the defending World Series Champion Texas Rangers, who have an implied probability of 9.52%. However, with a talented roster that features AL Rookie of the Year favorite Wyatt Langford alongside the likes of All-Stars Corey Seager and Marcus Semien, Texas can’t be ruled out. Heading into Saturday’s action, Texas is five games off the AL West lead. 

Things are heating up in this division and it’ll only get tighter as the season wears on and more series’ between division contenders continue.

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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