MESA, Ariz. — When it comes to predicting the 25 players who will line up along the third base line at the Oakland Coliseum on Opening Day, two-thirds of the equation can pretty much be locked in.
Things don’t change much when most of your roster is returning from a previous season that featured 97 wins and an appearance in the American League Wild Card game. A’s manager Bob Melvin should have a lineup he can feel confident throwing out there on an everyday basis, and with a strong supply of arms in the bullpen, the only real struggle will be who slots into the sixth, seventh and eighth innings as the bridge to Blake Treinen.