2013 Oakland Athletics schedule breakdown

ANAHEIM -- Major League Baseball released the 2013 schedule. Things look a little different for the Oakland Athletics with the Houston Astros joining the American League West. First and foremost, the A's will be playing 19 games against the Astros, which should soften the division considerably next year. As a result of the Astros joining the AL, the A's only get four games against the San Francisco Giants which will probably leave a lot of people unhappy. The popular Bay Bridge series will take place on four consecutive days. With the first two games in San Francisco on May 27 and May 28, and the next two in Oakland May 29 and May 30. The series is usually a weekend series but will be played Monday through Thursday next season. In other Interleague play, the A's face the National League Central. They have three games against the Brewers in Milwaukee, two games against the Reds at home, three games against the Cardinals at home, three games against the Pirates on the road, and three games against the Cubs at home. It will be the first time ever the Cubs have played in the Oakland Coliseum. The A's open the season with four games at home against the Mariners. It will be the fourth year in a row the A's have started the season against the Mariners. They also end the season with a three-game series in Seattle. From July 25 through Sept. 8 the A's play 29 of 40 games at home. They have 18 of 24 on the road from May 3 through May 28. BreakdownApril: 16 home, 12 road. May: 10 home, 18 road.June: 13 home, 14 roadJuly: 13 home, 12 road.August: 14 home, 13 road. September: 15 home, 12 road.