With FanFest planned for Saturday in Jack London Square, the Oakland Athletics are not even a month away from opening Spring Training and are just shy of two months from their first regular season game, which will be played in Japan on March 20, 2019 against the Seattle Mariners.

In spite of the fact that there’s a lot of off-season still to go, and although MLB groups have shown propensity to make signings later as players are agreeing to sing lower contracts, the A’s still have a couple of new faces, who will have a chance to fill in for players, in times of critical needs. The most noticeable change is on second base, wherein Jed Lowrie is replaced by Jurickson Profar, who was acquired from the Texas Rangers.

The A’s additionally made a couple of quiet additions to the staff: Tanner Anderson and Parker Bridwell. Anderson was procured from the Pittsburgh Pirates in November and posted a 2.64 ERA in 61 1/3 Triple-An innings in 2018. Bridwell pitched quickly for the Baltimore Orioles in 2016 and saw relative accomplishment for the Los Angeles Angels in 2017.

On Seattle’s front, they are required to finish a one-year contract with reliever Hunter Strickland. Dipoto did not affirm to the reports of an understanding between the sides, yet said he was “close” to adding a reliever to the pitching staff. Strickland was not offered an agreement by San Francisco after the 2018 season. Relievers Sam Tuivailala (Achilles ligament medical procedure) and Anthony Swarzak (bear) are the main players expected to be postponed when pitchers and catchers go to spring training. The Mariners trust Swarzak will in any case be prepared for the beginning of the regular season.

If you’re looking to catch the game in action, get your baseball tickets online for sale at Headline Tickets.