Oakland A’s schedule announced, but does it even matter?

BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 15: An Oakland Athletics hat and glove on the steps of the dugout during the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 15, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 15: An Oakland Athletics hat and glove on the steps of the dugout during the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 15, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)

On Monday, Major League Baseball announced the schedules for every team, including the Oakland A’s. But does it really matter?

Well, the expected announcement has been made. The Oakland A’s 60 game schedule has been announced, setting up their slate in their quest to return to the postseason. The season will begin with a three game set against the Angels at home, and will end against the Mariners, a three game series that will also take place in Oakland.

Interestingly, that will be the only series against the Mariners in Oakland. The A’s will play each of their AL West rivals ten times, with the games split with seven contests in one ballpark, and the remaining three at the other.

The A’s also get a home and away series with the Giants, with three games in each ballpark. These 60 games are crammed into approximately ten weeks, with the A’s getting six days off. MLB is certainly looking to pack as much action as possible into the condensed schedule.

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But does the schedule really matter? There are questions, even from the players, as to whether or not a season is viable. Several players have already opted out from playing in 2020, with others on the fence about taking that route. Andrew Miller has outright questioned the logic of having the season, and whether or not it can be completed.

Then there are issues with testing. The A’s tests have yet to come back. Some teams have yet to even be tested. Some of the results that are coming back are not promising, especially as players like Freddie Freeman are struggling with symptoms.

And yet, here we are. The 2020 schedule is out and Major League Baseball is barreling forward with the season. COVID-19 cases may be spiking around the country, and players may be testing positive, but the games will happen. At least, to this point, they will.

In the end, it is still questionable how much of the season actually gets played. The Oakland A’s schedule may be out, but it may not matter at all.

Schedule