MESA, Ariz. — When the A’s report to Hohokam Stadium on Tuesday, there will be the usual optimism abound. But this time around, that optimism will be a little less far-fetched.
The A’s finished last in the American League West for the third consecutive season with a 75-87 record last season. But their closing month of September, which saw the A’s go 16-12 to win their most games in a month since their last playoff season in 2014, left manager Bob Melvin with a feeling that was absent at the conclusion of the previous two seasons. A feeling of hope.