MESA, Ariz. — The A’s embark on a 12-hour journey to Japan for the start of a 2019 season they believe can take them further than their 97 wins and AL wild-card exit from last year.
The Japan trip makes it a shortened spring as the rest of the clubs will remain in Cactus League action while the A’s play two regular season games at the Tokyo Dome against the Seattle Mariners. But that doesn’t worry A’s manager Bob Melvin too much. After going 11-8 in spring training, the A’s are ready to play in some games that actually count.