A's slated to debut 2014 squad at home vs. Indians

The A's will visit the East Coast early and often next year, they learned Tuesday, when the preliminary 2014 schedule was announced.

Interleague Play features the American League West matching up with the National League East, including the A's and Mets each hosting a two-game series against one another. Oakland is slated to travel to Miami and Atlanta, while the Phillies and Nationals will find their way to the Coliseum.

Oakland will make its first East Coast swing at the beginning of May to Boston as the tail end of a three-city trip, by then already having been on the road for 16 days in a travel-heavy April.

But it's at home where the A's will debut their 2014 squad, as the Coliseum will welcome the Indians for a three-game set starting on March 31. Following their departure, the Mariners will come in for three games and, later in the month, fellow division foes Texas and Houston visit.

By the end of June, the A's will have already seen the Indians, Rays, Yankees and Orioles on the road, with New York making its always anticipated trip to the Coliseum from June 13-15. That's the start of an intriguing homestand that also features three games against the Rangers (June 16-18) and four with the Red Sox (June 19-22).

The annual Bay Bridge series will spread across four consecutive days, with the A's playing host to the Giants July 7-8, before they embark across the bay for a pair of contests July 9-10 at AT&T Park.

The A's will host the Mets for a quick two-game set Aug. 19-20, and from Sept. 19-21, they'll welcome the Phillies for three games as part of the final homestand of the regular season, sandwiched between series with the Rangers and Angels.

Oakland will conclude the season in what should be exciting fashion, with four games in Texas (Sept. 25-28).