SAN FRANCISCO — Rarely does the Bay Bridge series carry too much weight. The late-season meeting point for this round, though, adds a bit more oomph than in years past.
Symbolically, the first two games act as a check-in point, of sorts. Both Bay Area teams meet at various stages of both likely and unlikely postseason runs, the local battle a test, of sorts, to see who’s for real.
For the A’s, though, this trip across the bridge is a gateway to an absolute gauntlet. Oakland took on Madison Bumgarner and the Giants two games back of Tampa Bay for the second wild card, four games back of the Minnesota Twins for that first spot.