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Assuming no rainouts, the A’s would have to lose 28 of their last 33 games to have the worst second-half record ever at 13-53 (.1969). Remember that teams play fewer second-half games than they used to, due to schedule changes brought about by expanded playoffs. That sounds like a big lift, but remember that this team just lost 42 of 53 with Soderstrom, Wilson, and Kurtz for some of those games.
Let’s broaden the definition of “half” to the correct version, which will please Ben Lindbergh. These are the worst teams in baseball over the final 81 games of a full season, since 1961, when the schedule went to 162 games in the AL (it would go to 162 games in the NL in 1962).
Collapse (worst last-81 winning percentage, since 1961)
Mets 1962 17 63 .213
White Sox 2024 20 61 .247
Tigers 2019 20 61 .247
Astros 2013 21 60 .263
Mets 1965 21 59 .263
*some percentages are off because of ties
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