Position Battles - AL West

We have almost reached the height of draft season and there is so much around the league that remains uncertain. Position battles are afoot and with the WBC taking center stage (and many of the top players away from their rosters) it further muddies the waters for playing time.

This week, the Dynasty Team will be looking into one position battle per team and try to identify some players you need to be prioritizing in your dynasty leagues. Paying attention to roster trends and news items is key this time of year to get a leg up on your competition.

Next up, the AL West! (@dgofman.bsky.social) gives his insight into how he sees some important roster battles shaking out.

Position Battles - AL CentralThe Dynasty Team breaks down one spring position battle per team providing insight into who might be a target in dynasty leagues.Prospects LiveRaj Mehta

Athletics**- #5 starter**

Can Luis Morales hold off J.T. Ginn and Jack Perkins for the #5 spot in the A's rotation? (Photo Credit: Yahoo Sports)

The Athletics' move to Sacramento has done their pitching staff no favors. Their 4.99 home ERA in 2025 trailed just the Colorado Rockies and the Washington Nationals for the worst home ERA in the majors, and their 4.42 road ERA, while more than half a run better, was still just 20th in the league. At the same time, the Athletics have some young pitchers who showed promise in 2025. Their last rotation spot is up for grabs this spring, and there are three main candidates who appear to be competing for it: J.T. Ginn, Luis Morales, and Jack Perkins.

Ginn’s fastball velocity has increased by about 1 MPH this season compared to last, and he is pitching out of the windup this year, something he did not do last season. He was exceptional over 21 innings in the Pacific Coast League last season, a notorious offensive paradise, with a 2.11 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. While his ERA over 90.1 big league innings was 5.08, his xFIP of 3.52 points to a much better pitcher over that stretch.

Luis Morales produced the best surface stats of the three over his 10 starts in the big leagues last year, going 4-3 with a 3.14 ERA and 1.15 WHIP. Morales’s strikeout rate dropped notably in the big leagues in 2025, down to 21.6% from 27.1% at Triple-A, but he did more than enough to put himself in the conversation for a rotation spot in 2026. Morales’s sample this spring has been small, but he continues to build up his stamina and will be fully stretched out to start the season.

Perkins, like Ginn, was excellent in the PCL in 2025, striking out 38.4% of batters while accumulating a 2.86 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP in the process. The Athletics used Ginn in a hybrid role in the big leagues, as he made 4 starts and appeared in 8 additional games as a multi-inning reliever. He was noticeably better as a reliever, as he had a 2.75 ERA out of the pen and a 5.68 ERA over his 19 innings as a starter. This gives the Athletics another way to use Perkins, should they choose to use it, but the Athletics are stretching out Perkins this spring in order to keep their options open.

Not mentioned in this group is Jamie Arnold, the Athletics first round pick, who could also be knocking on the door in 2026 with a strong start to his season. It’s an intriguing group of arms in Sacramento that likely can’t wait to move to their (more) neutral confines in Las Vegas when their new home is built.

Los Angeles Angels -Second base

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