Elephant Rumblings: A’s release 2021 spring training schedule
MLB news roundup
Good morning, Athletics Nation!
The Oakland A’s have an off-day for the first time in two weeks! They just played 16 games in 13 days and survived that gauntlet, going an impressive 9-7 during a brutal stretch of which half came against the Astros and Padres. Their magic number is four to clinch the AL West division, with 10 left to play, thanks to the head-to-head tiebreaker they hold over runner-up Houston. Their magic number for a Wild Card is three, but that is probably not relevant.
With the present looking reasonably comfortable, on Wednesday the A’s (and MLB) offered a brief glimpse into a hopefully normal future by announcing their 2021 spring training schedule. They’ll get started in Arizona on Feb. 27 against the Milwaukee Brewers, and play 33 games in the Cactus League against the normal opponents. Three of the dates are split-squads for the A’s, and the whole thing wraps up back in California with the traditional Bay Bridge Series against the Giants from March 28-30, with Oakland hosting the first two meetings at the Coliseum.
Of course, nobody can predict exactly what tomorrow holds. Spring training was interrupted this year by the coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing societal shutdown it brought, and we don’t know for sure that it will be safe to resume regular life by March. But there’s always time to adjust these plans if necessary, and for now MLB is at least mapping out what a normal 2021 would look like. The A’s released their 2021 regular season schedule in July.
Here’s the full 2021 spring training slate:
A’s Coverage
- Hickey: Athletics Get Good MRI News on Piscotty’s Knee; He Should Play Soon
- Gallegos: Lamb comes in like a lion for Athletics
- Gallegos: A milestone for Petit: 10 years service time
- Game #50: A’s beat Rockies 3-1 for first time since 2015
MLB News & Interest
- Watch: The Business of Baseball, featuring Rob Manfred
- Stephen: Dodgers clinch playoff spot while cementing status atop the NL West
- Fletcher: Andrelton Simmons not thinking about future as he enters final weeks of Angels contract
- Grant: Trusting the process: With no player older than 26, Rangers deploy their youngest lineup of the season
- Castrovince: Is 2020 finally the year for a DH to win MVP?
- Today in Baseball History
Yesterday Game Highlights
Wednesday: Win! Thanks in part to this insane play ending with a legendary slide by Tony Kemp.
The type of play you'll only see in 2020#RootedInOakland pic.twitter.com/zyQXLj2U5d
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) September 16, 2020
Best of Twitter
Still got one great Matt in the infield
There's gold in the Rocky Mountains, and also in Oly's glove#RootedInOakland pic.twitter.com/S2KG6Nl38M
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) September 16, 2020
What does the structure of platinum look like in 2020?
You ever take time to just appreciate the atomic structure of Gold?#RootedInOakland pic.twitter.com/sEy7onHK7K
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) September 16, 2020
If only MLB still listened to fans, like, even a tiny bit
Rob Manfred says "an overwhelming majority" of owners endorse a 16-team playoff format in the long-term.
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) September 16, 2020
Would YOU be in favor of MLB adopting its 16-team postseason beyond 2020?
Tell us why below ⬇️