A pause in the schedule is not what the Oakland A’s need

The Oakland A’s are on a roll right now. They have won eight games in a row and are firing on all cylinders. The offense has been picking up the clutch hits and the pitching staff has begun to live up to expectations. That slow start is firmly in the rearview mirror.

Considering how well the A’s are performing, the last thing they would need right now is to have an unexpected break in the schedule. Unfortunately, that will be the case, as the Minnesota Twins COVID outbreak has led to Monday’s game being postponed with the hope for a doubleheader on Tuesday.

Break comes at bad time for Oakland A’s

At least, the hope is that the Twins and A’s will be able to play a doubleheader on Tuesday before the schedule returns to normality. This is entirely contingent on the Twins not having any further positive tests and being allowed to travel to Oakland on Monday. That is not necessarily a given.

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For the A’s, this unexpected off day comes at a bad time. Even if momentum is not considered to be as much of a big deal in baseball, especially given the length of the season, the A’s are certainly riding high. This time off could put a damper on that momentum, as the players break their daily routines.

Theoretically, this day off could be a positive. The A’s had only one scheduled off day between April 15 and May 9, with that day slotted for this coming Thursday. In addition to facing the Astros seven times in the first ten games, sandwiched around a series with the Dodgers, the schedule makers did not do the A’s any favors with their time off.

But at this time, it is more of a matter of keeping that run of success going. The off day on Thursday had been accounted for, whereas this disruption in the schedule was not. Sometimes, that can make a major difference, particularly as professional athletes are creatures of habit.

The Oakland A’s will receive an unexpected day off on Monday. Hopefully, this does not disrupt the momentum they have built during their winning streak.