Inspired By The AL West, Take A Look At The Weakest Playoff Teams In MLB History

Rangers and Astros are tied at 78-79 with days to play — if a team wins the AL West under .500, it would be the first full‑season division champ to do so.
MLB’s 2022 playoff expansion (and quirks of shortened, strike‑affected seasons like 2020 and 1981) makes it more likely a sub-.500 club could sneak into October.
Regular‑season mediocrity doesn’t preclude playoff magic — teams with just‑above or below .500 records (like an 84-78 Diamondbacks club) have still reached the World Series.