A's to open 2020 season at home vs. Angels
OAKLAND -- A¡¯s pitchers will be tested by some serious offensive firepower to begin the upcoming 60-game regular season.
Opening Day is set for July 24 at the Oakland Coliseum as the A¡¯s kick off the season with a visit from a high-powered Angels lineup that features stars Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon. That four-game series (July 24-27) begins a stretch that will see the A¡¯s play 12 of their first 16 games at home, including a two-game series with the Rockies (July 28-31) and a pair of three-game series against the Rangers (Aug. 4-6) and Astros (Aug. 7-9).
Visits to play the D-backs in Arizona (four games, Aug. 17-20), the Rockies in Colorado (two games, Sept. 15-16) and the Dodgers in Los Angeles (three games, Sept. 22-24) are in store for the A¡¯s as the new schedule calls for 20 of the 60 regular-season games to be played against National League West clubs. The annual Battle of the Bay will see six games between the A¡¯s and Giants -- three games in San Francisco from Aug. 14-16 and three in Oakland from Sept. 18-20.
The A¡¯s finish the season at home with three games against the Mariners on Sept. 25-27.
As is often the case due to having two Texas teams in their division, the A¡¯s are among the top five teams who will travel the most this season, coming in at fourth-most miles traveled with 11,363. However, three fellow AL West clubs --the Rangers (14,706 miles), Astros (13,954) and Mariners (11,813) -- are ahead of Oakland as the teams with the most travel scheduled for 2020.
Of course, with the strict guidelines this season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the A¡¯s are aware of the extra responsibility that will come with all road trips this season.
¡°It¡¯s always been that case,¡± A¡¯s manager Bob Melvin said of the heavy travel on MLB Network¡¯s High Heat. ¡°You know you¡¯re going to be on the plane a lot, and that¡¯s where you have to take this thing really seriously. If everybody stays healthy within your group, you can hopefully create a bubble. That¡¯s what we¡¯re going to try to reinforce.¡±
Traditionally known for starting off slow in the first half of the season before heating up after the Trade Deadline, the A¡¯s are focused on getting off to a good beginning. The schedule works in their favor a bit, with 21 of their first 29 games in the Bay Area.
Per local health guidelines, fans will not be permitted to attend games at the Coliseum this season. Instead, fans can purchase a Coliseum Cutout, a fan image cutout that will be placed in a designated seat for the 2020 season. For more information or to purchase a fan cutout, visit athletics.com/cutouts. The A¡¯s will also offer interactive opportunities for fans through the NBC Sports California broadcast throughout the season.