Until it is proven impossible you watch the 162 game season hoping your team can reach the post-season. And all hope is not lost in 2026 in that according to Fangraphs the A’s still project to have about a 10% chance. Presumably part of Fangraphs’ formula is that a team capable of a 20-game winning streak, being in 1st place only on the last day, or an inexplicable 1-20 stretch gets the “Hey it’s A’s — you never do know with that team” bump.
But 41-50 is 41-50 and the A’s recent 3-12 skid has taken
even the most ardent optimists and put their faith to the test. It costs nothing to hope, but if you’re good at math you know it may be time to pivot from leaning on “Actually we’re still only 5 games back of the 3rd wild card” to “OK, next fan strategy?”
That’s where it becomes helpful, in my opinion, to start viewing each game as its own “season”. The great thing is that each “season” you begin 0-0 and tied for 1st place. Each game has that segment where “it’s early” and you’re trying to get off to a strong start and be the front-runner. It takes its twists and turns, as any long season — be it of 162 games or 9 innings — will. You wind up, as the “season” winds down, in a battle against one other team down to the wire. And ultimately, at the end of the “season” you have one winner who, after all the twists and turns, prevailed.
All that in one game. And each season you are most certainly a contender, given how any team can beat any team on any given day. And so that is how I will approach today’s game: the Game #92 season is just around the corner and I will be riveted to the screen rooting as the season unfolds, evolves, and comes to its conclusion all in less than 3 hours. With another “Opening Day” tomorrow, otherwise known as the 1st inning. And so on.
I hope at some point in 2026 it will again make sense to scoreboard watch and keep close track of how many games under/over .500 the A’s are. Right now? Go Game #92 A’s!!!
