7/20 Gamethread: Giants at A’s

You could make the case that today is the most exciting day of the season for San Francisco Giants fans. Not only will we get to see the Giants play a game for the first time in more than four months, but the game doesn’t actually count, and therefore there’s nothing to lose. I mean, technically the Giants still can lose, but even if they do, they’ll emerge with a pristine 0-0 record, and then do it all again tomorrow.

What more could you ask for? Don’t answer that.

Anyway, after dozens of gamethreads for games that happened years ago, we now have a gamethread for an actual, live Giants game. Enjoy it. It’s only going to happen 61 more times, if that.

Exhibition game #1

Who: San Francisco Giants vs. Oakland A’s
Where: Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, California
When: 6:40 p.m. PT
TV: NBC Sports Bay Area (available online through fuboTV, or free on MLB.TV)
Radio: KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM

Lineups

The Giants are adamant that their exhibition lineup isn’t a sign of who will play during the season. But it is safe to say that everyone in the lineup is, at the very least, in consideration for a spot on the initial 30-man active roster that will head to Los Angeles in a few days. Here’s what it looks like:

1. LF — Austin Slater (R)
2. 3B — Wilmer Flores (R)
3. 2B — Donovan Solano (R)
4. DH — Darin Ruf (R)
5. 1B Pablo Sandoval (S)
6. CF — Mauricio Dubón (R)
7. SS — Brandon Crawford (L)
8. RF — Jaylin Davis (R)
9. C — Chadwick Tromp (R)
   RHP — Kevin Gausman

And here’s the lineup for the AL West contenders, the Athletics:

1. SS — Marcus Semien (R)
2. 3B — Matt Chapman (R)
3. 1B — Matt Olson (L)
4. DH — Khris Davis (R)
5. CF — Mark Canha (R)
6. RF — Stephen Piscotty (R)
7. LF — Robbie Grossman (S)
8. C — Sean Murphy (R)
9. 2B — Tony Kemp (L)
   LHP — Sean Manaea

Notes

Roster stuff: The Giants are not bringing everyone in their 60-player pool to Oakland, likely to limit the amount of people present for a meaningless game. But they are bringing a few prospects, even if those players aren’t competing for roster spots.

If Joey Bart gets into the game and hits a home run, it’s safe to say that Farhan Zaidi will wake up to a few hundred handwritten notes on his doorstep, begging him to add Bart to the Opening Day roster.

Embrace the cutouts: There will be fans tonight.

Injuries: First baseman Brandon Belt and third baseman Evan Longoria will not play tonight, as they will start the season on the injured list.

Enjoy the baseball game, everyone.