BREAKING; Cubs’ 2025 AL West Showdown: Can They DOMINATE the Astros, Angels, and More? (Spoiler: One Team Is a Ticking Time Bomb!)

The **Chicago Cubs** face a mixed bag of competition in the AL West this season, with some teams retooling and others regressing. Here’s a breakdown of their 2025 matchups:

### **Houston Astros**
– **Key Departures:** Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman, Justin Verlander, Ryan Pressly, and more.
– **Key Arrivals:** Hayden Wesneski, Isaac Paredes, Christian Walker, Luis Guillorme.
– **Outlook:** The Astros, who won 88 games and the AL West last year, lost significant talent, including their starting center fielder, third baseman, and key pitchers. Their additions may not be enough to sustain their seven-year division dominance.
– **Cubs Series:** June 27-29 in Houston.

### **Los Angeles Angels**
– **Key Departures:** Keston Hiura, Brandon Drury, Matt Moore, and others.
– **Key Arrivals:** Kyle Hendricks, Jorge Soler, Travis d’Arnaud, Kenley Jansen, and more.
– **Outlook:** The Angels’ offseason strategy seems to be recycling past All-Stars. Despite the additions, their lack of depth and recent struggles (no winning record since 2015) suggest another disappointing season.
– **Cubs Series:** August 22-24 in Anaheim.

### **Sacramento Athletics**
– **Key Departures:** Abraham Toro, Ross Stripling, Alex Wood, and others.
– **Key Arrivals:** Luis Severino, Gio Urshela, Jose Leclerc, Dylan Floro.
– **Outlook:** Relocating from Oakland to Sacramento, the A’s showed improvement in 2024, finishing 19 games better than 2023. With a 39-37 record after July 1, they could be a surprise team in 2025.
– **Cubs Series:** March 31-April 2 in Sacramento (home opener at Sutter Health Park).

### **Seattle Mariners**
– **Key Departures:** Ty France, Justin Turner, Luis Urias, and others.
– **Key Arrivals:** Donovan Solano, Miles Mastrobuoni.
– **Outlook:** The Mariners made minimal offseason moves despite being on the cusp of contention in recent years. Without significant upgrades, they’re unlikely to break through in 2025.
– **Cubs Series:** June 20-22 at Wrigley Field.

### **Texas Rangers**
– **Key Departures:** Andrew Heaney, Max Scherzer, Nathaniel Lowe, and others.
– **Key Arrivals:** Kyle Higashioka, Jake Burger, Joc Pederson, and more.
– **Outlook:** After winning the 2023 World Series, the Rangers slumped to 78-84 in 2024. Despite the hangover, they remain talented and could contend again if their pitching holds up.
– **Cubs Series:** Dates TBD.