Playoff route is through the West

As part of an agreement finalized Tuesday between Major League Baseball and the players’ union, the Division Series, League Championship Series and World Series will be part of a bubble designed to minimize exposure to the coronavirus.

So for the A’s and the Giants, any road through the postseason will go through the West.

All series starting with the Division Series are taking place at neutral sites “due to health, safety and competitive considerations” amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to MLB.

All bestofthree wildcard series in this year’s expanded 16team format will be played at the home ballpark of the higher seed. The postseason schedule has the AL wildcard round starting Sept. 29.

After that, the two AL Division Series will be at Petco Park (San Diego) and Dodger Stadium (Los Angeles), and the AL Championship Series will be at Petco Park.

All NL series after the opening round will be played in Texas: The NL Division Series are at Arlington’s new Globe Life Field and Houston’s Minute Maid Park. The NLCS, as well as the World Series, will be played in Arlington.

Game 1 of the World Series is set for Oct. 20, with a potential Game 7 set for Oct. 28 in the modern era’s first neutralsite World Series.

The A’s, at 3019, have the thirdbest record in the AL after the White Sox (3216) and Rays (3117). If the A’s win the division, they will host an openinground bestofthree series in Oakland.

If the current NL standings hold, the eighthseeded Giants and topseeded Dodgers would meet in their first postseason series in the rivalry’s history, a bestofthree at Dodger Stadium. The games would be Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 and, if needed, Oct. 2.