Melvin: This offday comes ‘at the right time’

Thursday marks the A’s lone offday amid a stretch of 30 games in 31 days, and manager Bob Melvin sees it coming at a needed time.

After winning nine in a row, the A’s lost their first two games in Anaheim, including being shut out for the first time this season Tuesday. Melvin said he thought the A’s “looked a little flat” Tuesday, though he credited the Angels’ Dylan Bundy with a wellpitched start.

“As the game went on, I could just kind of sense we were a little bit rundown,” Melvin said prior to Wednesday game.

“So I think this offday is definitely coming at the right time.”

A few factors might be contributing to fatigue. Players typically get regular days off in a normal spring training leading up to the season, but that was less an option during the rushed training camps in July. Regulars Marcus Semien, Matt Chapman, Matt Olson and Ramón Laureano have played in every game. The A’s last homestand also ended with an “emotional” series against the Astros, Melvin said, that included a benchesclearing incident in Sunday’s finale.

The A’s do play 15 of their first 22 games in the Bay Area and have three offdays scheduled over the final 14 days of the season, which could be beneficial ahead of the expanded playoffs.

“A day off is always good to turn the brain off and refresh the body, refresh the mind,” second baseman Tony Kemp said. “But we’re still rolling, we’re still playing well.”

Added outfielder Robbie Grossman: “We knew what kind of season we were getting ourselves into when we started. We’re all up for the challenge.”

Melvin said players and staff know to take precaution during the offday to avoid compromising coronavirusrelated health and safety measures that are in place when the team is together.

“It’s talked about almost on an everyday basis the fact that the most important thing is keeping this game going,” Melvin said. “I think to this point, our guys have done a really good job.”

Trivino update: Melvin was encouraged by reliever Lou Trivino’s outings in the first two games against the Angels. Trivino has a 7.50 ERA in six innings this season but Melvin said his fastball showed “good life” and he appears to be mixing in more offspeed pitches.

“Sometimes the league catches up to you and has a really good idea what you’re going to throw and when you’re going to throw it, and I think that was the case at times last year with Lou,” Melvin said. “I think incorporating at least three pitches in his repertoire, one a little bit slower than the fastball and the cutter is going to be beneficial for him.”