2022 AL West Preview: Time for a new contender?

At this time just over a month ago, it didn’t look like we were going to make it to an early April start to the season. Fresh off the latest round of failed collective bargaining agreement negotiations, commissioner Rob Manfred announced MLB was cancelling the first two series of the season and pushing back Opening Day a week.

The more days that went by without the league and MLB Players Association reaching a deal, the more games that would be cancelled. Over the course of a few long days, it looked like no longer like a question of when we would get baseball in 2022, but if.

Then, somehow, someway, on the 99th day of the lockout, they figured things out. The season – all 162 games no less – was saved. And we couldn’t be happier.

With Opening Day two days away, here is a team-by-team look at the American League West division that is going to look dramatically different this season. The Houston Astros and Oakland A's have won the last five AL West titles, but is it time for a new contender to finally break through?

2021 Record: 95-67

Key Additions: INF Niko Goodrum, OF Lewis Brinson, P Hector Neris

Key Losses: SS Carlos Correa, INF/OF Marwin Gonzalez, P Zack Greinke, P Yimi Garcia, P Kendall Graveman

The Astros were supposed to take a step back post sign-stealing scandal. And it looked like they were going to during the 2020 season, but after sneaking into the playoffs under the expanded format, Houston rallied for decisive series victories over the Minnesota Twins and Oakland Athletics before coming up one game short against the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALCS.

The season after, they won 95 games for their fourth division title in five years, advancing all the way to the World Series before falling to the Dodgers. Like it or