The Athletics avoided a series sweep in Seattle against the Mariners with a 4-1 victory on Sunday afternoon. The win improved their record to 59-36. The second-place Angels won as well, so the A’s go into the All-Star break 1.5 games ahead in first place.
As Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle notes, the 59 wins at the break is the most in Athletics franchise history and the most for any team since the Tigers won 59 in 2006.
With 94 and 96 wins in each of the last two seasons, the A’s have won the AL West two years in a row, but were ushered out of the American League Division series twice, both by the Detroit Tigers (and Justin Verlander more specifically). GM Billy Beane bolstered the starting staff, acquiring Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel in a trade with the Cubs recently. Samardzija will lead the Athletics out of the break on Friday at home against the Orioles. Hammel will pitch Saturday.
