We've reached the quarter mark of the 2000s, and to celebrate, theScore's MLB editors constructed each organization's best 26-man roster from the last 25 seasons. We continue with the AL West.
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AL EAST
AL CENTRAL
NL EAST
NL CENTRAL
NL WEST
Most important player: Mike Trout. This is the easiest call of any club, as Trout is far and away the best player in franchise history. He's an 11-time All-Star, three-time AL MVP, and is already 28th all time in MLB fWAR.
Best pitcher: Jered Weaver. The fiery right-hander was a hallmark of consistency over 11 seasons in Anaheim. Weaver made three All-Star appearances and led the AL with 233 strikeouts in 2010. He made at least 30 starts seven times.
Most underrated: Garret Anderson. The talented outfielder had four straight campaigns of at least 115 RBIs from 2000-03. Anderson also helped the Angels win the 2002 World Series.
Best acquisition: Shohei Ohtani. The Angels stunned the baseball world when they landed the two-way sensation ahead of the 2018 season. Ohtani won a pair of AL MVPs with the club.
Best homegrown player: Mike Trout. The Angels watched Trout go from 25th pick in 2009 to one of the best players this century. Trout struggled in a brief stint in 2011 before exploding with 30 home runs and 49 stolen bases the following campaign to win Rookie of the Year.
Toughest omission: Kole Calhoun. The 2015 Gold Glover had a nice eight-year run with the team, collecting 140 homers with a .747 OPS across 966 games. However, it's tough to justify a spot for him over a franchise icon like Tim Salmon.
Most important player: Jose Altuve. The future Hall of Famer can already stake a legitimate claim as the best player in Astros history. Altuve could threaten 3,000 hits, has made nine All-Star Games, and has won seven Silver Sluggers, two World Series, and three batting titles.
Best pitcher: Roy Oswalt. The durable right-hander flew under the radar at times while sharing a rotation with the likes of Clemens and Andy Pettitte. Still, Oswalt was a hallmark of consistency from 2001-2010. He eclipsed 6.0 fWAR four times, threw at least 200 innings on six occasions, and won 143 games over that span.
Most underrated player: Kyle Tucker. The emergence of a talented outfielder who could hit for power, steal bases, and play good defense helped the Astros remain relevant in the wake of Springer and Correa departing in free agency.
Best acquisition: Justin Verlander. The Astros acquired Verlander from the Detroit Tigers ahead of the waiver trade deadline in 2017, and he helped the club to a World Series title later that season. Verlander posted a 73-28 record with a 2.71 ERA and added two Cy Youngs (2019, 2022) and another World Series ring to his mantle along the way.
Best homegrown player: Jose Altuve. He's been an incredible homegrown success story who signed for a $15,000 bonus at age 16. Altuve has helped the Astros become one of the most consistent franchises over the last decade.
Toughest omission: Yuli Gurriel. The popular first baseman was a productive offensive player throughout his tenure in Houston, hitting .284 with a 111 wRC+ in 801 games. Gurriel also hit over .300 in both of the Astros' World Series runs.
Most important player: Eric Chavez. The talented third baseman somehow never made an All-Star appearance. However, he won six Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger and belted 230 home runs with a .821 OPS across 13 seasons. Chavez was arguably the most consistent player during a great run of Athletics baseball in the early 2000s.
Best pitcher: Tim Hudson. It was a tough call, but Hudson gets the nod over Barry Zito. He had a slight edge in ERA and did a better job limiting walks and home runs.
Most underrated: Matt Olson. The slugging first baseman hit at least 30 home runs twice in six seasons and finished his tenure in Oakland with 142 long balls, a pair of Gold Gloves, and one All-Star nod.
Best acquisition: Khris Davis. The A's acquired Davis from the Milwaukee Brewers for a modest price in 2016. He proceeded to hit 40-plus home runs in each of the following three campaigns while batting an identical .247 average.
Best homegrown player: Miguel Tejada. Outside of Chavez, the development of Tejada was a huge success story. The shortstop won AL MVP in 2002, helping the club win an incredible 20 straight games.
Toughest omission: Josh Donaldson. The Athletics dealt Donaldson to the Toronto Blue Jays after consecutive strong offensive seasons from him. He posted an .840 OPS with 53 home runs and 12.9 fWAR across the 2013 and 2014 campaigns.
Most important player: Ichiro Suzuki. The Japanese sensation was a deserving first-ballot Hall of Famer. Suzuki won MVP and Rookie of the Year during a special 2001 campaign, and he eclipsed the 200-hit plateau in each of the first 10 seasons of his career.
Best pitcher: Félix Hernández. The right-hander spent his entire 15-year career in Seattle and won the 2010 Cy Young. Hernández also added six All-Star nods and a pair of AL ERA titles. "King Felix" is one of the most beloved Mariners ever.
Most underrated: Kyle Seager. Unfortunately, Seager's career overlapped with Seattle's long run without tasting postseason baseball. He was a linchpin at third base for the Mariners from 2011-21, hitting 242 home runs with one All-Star appearance and a Gold Glove nod in 2014.
Best acquisition: Bret Boone. Seattle reunited with Boone in free agency ahead of the 2001 campaign. He immediately paid dividends, finishing third in MVP voting and helping the club to an incredible 116-46 record.
Best homegrown player: Félix Hernández. The Mariners managed to land the Venezuelan as an international free agent in 2002. Hernández is the club's all-time leader in wins, strikeouts, and innings pitched.
Toughest omission: J.P. Crawford. Seattle's current shortstop owns some strong moments in six years with the team, but A-Rod's brilliance in just one season (2000) is still too much to overlook.
Most important player: Adrian Beltre. The Hall of Fame third baseman became a legend in Texas. Beltre reached 3,000 hits and finished with 199 home runs, three Gold Gloves, and two Platinum Gloves during eight seasons with the team.
Best pitcher: Yu Darvish. The Japanese sensation debuted with a lot of hype in 2012. Darvish earned All-Star nods in each of his first three campaigns and led the majors with 277 strikeouts in 2013 to finish runner-up in AL Cy Young voting.
Most underrated: Michael Young. The versatile infielder was a hitting machine. Young led the league in total hits twice and made seven All-Star appearances with Texas. His 2,230 hits as a Ranger are the most in franchise history and almost 500 more than second place.
Best acquisition: Josh Hamilton. The Rangers swung a trade to acquire Hamilton from the Cincinnati Reds ahead of the 2008 season. He led the AL with 130 RBIs that first campaign and later won AL MVP in 2010 after topping the league in batting average and OPS.
Best homegrown player: Ian Kinsler. The Rangers found a gem when they drafted Kinsler in the 17th round (496th overall) in 2003. He turned into the best second baseman in team history. Kinsler was named an All-Star four times and was an explosive table-setter atop a potent Rangers lineup.
Toughest omission: Marcus Semien. The veteran infielder helped Texas win its first World Series title in 2023 and ranks inside the top 10 among position players in fWAR for the franchise since 2000.
