AMER ICAN LEAGUE

1 HOUSTON ASTROS + 100 DIV .............. + 850 WS

BEST CASE DH/LF Yordan Álvarez rakes and 1B José Abreu returns to form for one of the AL’S best offenses. Newcomer Josh Hader affirms that he’s the game’s top closer.

WORST CASE The rotation suffers as Justin Verlander, at 41, shows his age, Hunter Brown’s development stalls and Luis García and Lance Mccullers Jr. are slow to return from injury.

2 TEXAS RANGERS +200 DIV ............. + 1100 WS

BEST CASE Nathan Eovaldi stays healthy and Dane Dunning builds on a breakout 2023 season to hold the fort at the top of the rotation, providing support to a loaded lineup.

WORST CASE Max Scherzer and Jacob degrom don’t make their expected second-half returns from injury. That, plus a faulty bullpen, leaves the Rangers in too many slugfests.

3 SE AT T L E MARINERS + 300 DIV ............+2000 WS

BEST CASE George Kirby blossoms into a true Cy Young contender, and Julio Rodríguez, with a deeper lineup behind him, leads Seattle to its first division title in 23 years.

WORST CASE Last season’s bullpen magic vanishes, and young starters Kirby, Logan Gilbert, Bryce Miller, Bryan Woo and Emerson Hancock experience growing pains.

4 LOS ANGELES ANGELS + 4500 DIV ..........+ 8000 WS

BEST CASE

CF Mike Trout and 3B Anthony Rendon stay healthy while starters Reid Detmers, Patrick Sandoval and Griffin Canning improve, keeping L. A. in the hunt.

WORST CASE Promising youngsters SS Zach Neto, C Logan O’hoppe and 1B Nolan Schanuel aren’t ready for everyday roles. The pitching staff remains a weak spot.

5 OAKLAND ATHLETICS +20000 DIV ....... +30000 WS

BEST CASE Young players such as 2B Zack Gelof, CF Esteury Ruiz and C Shea Langeliers form a promising core, while the veterans show enough value to bring trade returns.

WORST CASE Fan outrage at the franchise’s coming relocation gives way to indifference, and an empty Oakland Coliseum provides a bleak backdrop for a listless swan song.