Oakland gets help both late and early

At least the beginning of the A’s 2020 schedule is familiar.

For the third time in four years — fourth, if you discount two games in Japan in March 2019 — the A’s open the 2020 season against the Angels at home. Most everything else — a July 24 Opening Night, a 60game schedule in 66 days, all games against AL and NL West teams — is different and still uncertain amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Here are five things to note about the A’s schedule: 1. Seven of 10 at home vs. Astros: All teams play 10 games against division opponents, and the A’s get the Astros, who have won the AL West three straight years, at the Coliseum for seven games.

It might not be quite as satisfying for A’s fans, who won’t have a chance to jeer from the stands after the Astros were punished this offseason for illegal signstealing. But it could be a boost for the A’s, who finished second to Houston despite 97 wins each of the past two seasons.

The Astros were the only other AL West team to finish above .500 last season. The A’s also have seven home games against the Angels (72 wins in

2019) and play seven road games against the Rangers (78) and Mariners (68).

2. A homeheavy start: An emphasis for the A’s in this short season is avoiding what has become a characteristic slow start. Their schedule sets up nicely: The A’s play 12 of their first 16 at the Coliseum and 20 of their first 29 in the Bay Area, including a threegame series against the Giants at Oracle Park, Aug. 1416.

That does mean the A’s have a stretch of 18 of 23 road games starting in midAugust, including the Oracle Park series and a sevengame trip to Texas (currently a coronavirus hot spot), Aug. 2430. But their final nine games are in California, and they finish at home against the Mariners.

3. Late off days: Each team has six offdays built into the schedule, and the A’s have three in the final two weeks of the season. That could provide a nice breather and chance to structure the pitching staff if the A’s, as expected, are in playoff contention in late September.

The A’s are off Sept. 14 and Sept. 17 after two road series and Sept. 21 before their final two series against the Dodgers and Mariners.

4. Earlier games: The July 24 opener against the Angels at the Coliseum will start at 7:10 p.m. and be shown on ESPN. After that, the A’s will start all home night games at 6:10 or 6:40.

The 6:10 weeknight starts are against the Rangers or Astros and will accommodate media windows for the Texas teams. The 6:40 games were a compromise between MLB and the A’s broadcast partner. All home weekend games are scheduled for daytime starts.

5. An unpredictable September: After a stretch in which they play the Astros seven times in 13 games, the A’s face just one other team that had a winning record in 2019 over their last 17 games. They play four of their last five series against teams — the Rangers, Rockies, Giants and Mariners — who combined for a .454 winning percentage last year.

But the A’s will be flying to Texas for a second time in three weeks and visiting Colorado, where Coors Field is always a wild card. Depending how the playoff race looks in the final week, the A’s threegame series at Dodger Stadium (Sept. 2224) could feature an odd mix of playoff implications and late-October vibes.