“Those are tough guys to replace,” Chad Pinder remarked, “but we have a job here now.” “Every every day, we have to go to work.” We’re preparing for April 7 in the same way that we’re preparing for the season…. We accept that this occurred, but we also recognise that there is more work to be done.”

Mark Kotsay, a former outfielder who was elevated from third base coach to replace Melvin, will face a young roster.

Oakland is without strong-armed centre fielder Ramón Laureano, who must serve the final 27 games of an 80-game suspension he got after testing positive for a performance-enhancing chemical in early August.

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