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Elephant Rumblings: Virtual reality headsets help A’s prepare for opposing pitchers

Good morning, Athletics Nation!

Technology is always moving, in baseball like everywhere else in the world. For hitters, that now means using virtual reality to study opposing pitchers.

That was the case for the Oakland A’s on Sunday. Matt Olson and Matt Chapman used “virtual reality headsets before the game to help simulate the experience of facing Cleveland starter Adam Plutko,” reports insider Martin Gallegos. Half an hour later they hit back-to-back homers off Plutko in their Cactus League exhibition game.

“Some of the other teams are using it extensively,” said manager Bob Melvin, via Matt Kawahara of the S.