Continuing with our look at the AL West is an offensive comparison of the top three outfield units. Picking a top three is difficult as they are all worthy. Ultimately, the Texas Rangers are picked over the Oakland Athletics for the comparison due to the Rangers better game-changing power. The three AL West outfield units that will be compared are the Houston Astros, Los Angeles Angels, and the Rangers. After reading the analysis, you can decide which unit will be the strongest in this shortened season.
Astros: Springer, Brantley, Reddick
One of Houston’s core players, George Springer ranks as one of the most dynamic lead-off batters in the league. Of his 160 career home runs, 36 of them are lead-off bombs. The 30 year old is coming off a career year, hitting 39 homers, scoring and driving in 96 runs a piece, in just 122 games. Since 2016, he averaged 107 runs and 84 RBI. His career slash line is .270/.361/.488 with an .849 OPS. Springer’s game-changing offense paired with his solid defense in center field make him one of the best outfielders in the AL West.
Injuries have hindered Michael Brantley in his 11 year career. When healthy, he has done nothing but hit. In the past two seasons Brantley remained healthy, and he has been among the best hitters in baseball. In that span, he is averaging 178 hits per season, hitting at a .310 clip. He averaged 89 runs and 83 RBI, and stroked 38 doubles a year. His career slash line is .297/.354/.439 with a .792 OPS. A healthy Brantley can hit with the best of them, and he only has to stay on the field for 60 games.
The final Astros outfielder is Josh Reddick, who is a solid contributor at the bottom of Houston’s potent lineup. While Reddick hit .275 with 14 home runs, he did hit .352 through March and April of 2019, with three of his 14 homers. Reddick is a solid hitter who helps lengthen an already impressive lineup.
Angels: Trout, Upton, Goodwin
Mike Trout is probably the best player in the whole league, playing at a Hall of Fame level through this point in his career. There is a lot to say about Trout, but just look at his AL MVP finishes in his eight full seasons: second (won Rookie of the Year,) second, first, second, first, fourth, second, and first. His career slash line is an outstanding .305/.419/.581 with a 1.000 OPS. Trout’s greatness definitely boosts the Angels outfield and team as a whole.
Thirteen years ago, Justin Upton came into the league at 19 years old. Now 32, Upton has put together a solid career. Last year was an injury-stricken season, as he was limited to 63 games, batting a measly .215. However, from 2016-2018, he averaged 87 runs and 94 RBI, blasting an average of 32 homers. His career slash line is .266/.347/.476 with a .822 OPS. A bounce back season from Upton can make this outfield that much better.
The third outfielder isn’t set in stone, but the favorite to start the season is Brian Goodwin. Last year was the 29-year old’s first season as a starter, and it was a very solid year. The outfielder popped 29 doubles and 17 home runs in 458 plate appearances in 2019. In parts of four seasons, Goodwin has a slash line of .255/.320/.461 with a .782 OPS. If he starts to struggle, 21-year-old Jo Adell could get the call-up, stationing himself in right field for the Angels.
Rangers: Gallo, Santana, Calhoun
Joey Gallo is one of the most intriguing players in all of baseball. Few, if any, sluggers have the power of Gallo. In 2017 and 2018, he smacked 41 and 40 homers respectively. He was well on his way to another 40 homer season in 2019 before injuries restricted him to 70 games and 22 bombs. The biggest hindering aspect of Gallo’s game is his lack of contact. In 2017 and 2018 combined, he struck out over 400 times. If he can just cut down on the strikeouts even just a little bit, he can hit even more home runs and hit for a better average. His career slash line is .212/.331/.516 with a .847 OPS. Gallo shows immense potential for improvement, which gives the Rangers that much more of a chance for success.
One of the big breakouts from last year, Danny Santana emerged as a major power and speed threat. In parts of five seasons before 2019, Santana hit just 13 home runs, but last year he hit 28. He added 21 stolen bases and 81 runs and 81 RBI. His career slash line is just .264/.302/.423 with a .725 OPS, however last year it was .283/ .324/ .534 with an .857 OPS. If Santana’s breakout was real, he can help Texas reach this outfield unit’s potential.
The final Rangers outfielder is Willie Calhoun. He has played parts of three seasons, the biggest stint being last year. The young outfielder played 83 games, hitting 21 home runs and driving in 48 runs. The 25-year-old measures at just five feet, eight inches tall, but has plus power. In 277 career Triple-A games, he’s blasted 48 homers. His slash line last year was .269/.323/.524 with a .848 OPS.
Outlook
The AL West outfield units are stacked once again. The Oakland A’s outfield could easily have been a part of this comparison, that’s how good these outfield groups look. The Seattle Mariners have potential in their outfield although they sit below the rest of the pack offensively right now. The AL West is sure to be exciting division yet again with a surplus of exciting-offensive outfielders.
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