:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67102560/1156175594.jpg.0.jpg)
The Angels open up their 2020 season on Friday night against the A’s in Oakland (7:10 p.m. PT), the first of a four-game weekend wraparound series at the Oakland Coliseum. The opener will be televised both locally by Fox Sports West and nationally by ESPN.
It’s the fourth straight season the Angels have opened their season in Oakland. The two teams have split the 12 games in those three series, though the A’s have won each of the last three openers.
Andrew Heaney will try to change that on Friday night, making his first career opening day start. The left-hander led Angels pitchers in games started last season, but that the total was only 18 shows how badly the Halos staff was decimated in 2019. With a healthy Shohei Ohtani back on the mound again (he’s starting Sunday), plus additions Dylan Bundy and (eventually) Julio Teheran, the Angels rotation figures to improve this season.
Frankie Montas starts for the A’s, also making his first opening day start. The right-hander was 9-2 with a 2.63 ERA in 16 starts last year for Oakland, a season in which he served an 80-game suspension for testing positive for ostarine, a performance-enhancing drug.
Mike Trout is 7-for-31 (.226) with three home runs and a double in seven opening days. He’s 1-for-8 (.125) with two walks and two hit by pitches in his career against Montas.
Angels-A’s TV info
| Date | Game time (PT) | Network |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Game time (PT) | Network |
| Fri, Jul 24 | 7:10 p.m. | FSW, ESPN |
| Sat, Jul 25 | 1:10 p.m. | FSW |
| Sun, Jul 26 | 1:10 p.m. | FSW, MLBN |
| Mon, Jul 27 | 12:40 p.m. | FSW |
Both television broadcasts are a perfect display of covering baseball during a pandemic. Victor Rojas and Mark Gubicza will call the game on Fox Sports West, but will be back home in Anaheim, calling the game from a production truck outside Angel Stadium, as is the plan for all Angels road games this season.
Similarly, the ESPN broadcast will feature announcers calling the game remotely. Karl Ravech will handle play-by-play duties from ESPN studios in Bristol, Connecticut, while analysts Jessica Mendoza and Tim Kurkjian will be in their home during the broadcast. The ESPN broadcast will be available in Southern California.
Online streaming is available through Fox Sports Go and Watch ESPN.
The Angels are 30-29 all-time in season openers, through they have started each of their last six seasons with a loss. Their last opening day win was in 2013 in Cincinnati, when the Halos outlasted the Reds 3-1 in 13 innings.
The Angels are 2-5 all-time on opening day against the A’s, including 0-4 in Oakland. The A’s won the season series in 2019 against the Angels 13-6, winning seven of 10 in Oakland.
Friday is the only night game of the series, with daytime starts on the docket for the final three games. Sunday’s game will also be shown on MLB Network, though blacked out locally.
Opening day info
- Teams: Angels at A’s
- Location: Oakland Coliseum
- Time: 7:10 p.m. PT
- Local TV: Fox Sports West (Victor Rojas, Mark Gubicza)
- National TV: ESPN (Karl Ravech, Jessica Mendoza, Tim Kurkjian)
- Streaming: Fox Sports Go, Watch ESPN