The A’s open up their most anticipated series of 2020 tonight at the Oakland Coliseum.
It’s not just a current battle for the division standings, but also a history of the past few seasons where Oakland finished runner-up to a Houston franchise recently punished for cheating.
Here are a few angles to look for in the upcoming three-game set.
Animosity exists, but retaliation likely won’t surface
It’s not a guarantee we won’t see any inside pitches or jawing on the field over this weekend. The general consensus among A's players is that they had long been familiar and frustrated with the Astros tactics, well before it became public knowledge.