Bay Bridge Series

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The Bay Bridge Series, also called the Athletics–Giants rivalry, is the long-running matchup between MLB’s Oakland Athletics (American League) and San Francisco Giants (National League) in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Their first famous meeting came in the 1989 World Series, which the Athletics won 4 games to 0. The series was interrupted by the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that hit the area, causing a 10‑day delay before it resumed.

The rivalry got its name from the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge. It started as a short pre-season set of exhibition games and later grew to include regular-season Interleague games (the first regular-season meetings came in 1997). The Bay Bridge Series is widely seen as friendly, with fans from both sides often getting along, wearing hats that blend both teams’ logos, and sometimes the teams wearing old-time uniforms. The nickname “BART Series” was used sometimes, but never became popular.

All-time, through 2024, the Athletics lead the series 80–72 (and 152 total meetings). In the regular season, the A’s lead 76–72. The Athletics dominated the postseason meetings, 4–0.

A trophy has been awarded since 2018 to the series winner, made from a piece of the original Bay Bridge.

Stadiums:
- Athletics: Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum
- Giants: Oracle Park

Notable numbers:
- Largest single-game margin: Athletics 16, Giants 0 (2005); Giants 18, Athletics 2 (2000)
- Longest win streaks: Athletics 7 games (2007–2008); Giants 6 games (2010–2011)
- Current win streak: Giants (as of the latest games)

World Series history and early crossovers:
The Giants and Athletics also faced each other in the World Series years earlier when the teams were the New York Giants and Philadelphia Athletics (1905, 1911, 1913). The Giants won in 1905, and the Athletics won in 1911 and 1913.

The 1989 World Series remains the most famous matchup, highlighted by the earthquake near the Bay Area and the series’ dramatic restart. The Athletics swept the Giants to win that title, the last World Series win for the A’s as of 2024.

End of the Bay Bridge era and what comes next:
The rivalry effectively ended after the 2024 season when the Athletics announced they would relocate to Las Vegas (with a temporary stay in West Sacramento before a long-term move). The final Bay Bridge Series game was August 18, 2024, with the Giants winning 4–2.

If the teams meet again, it would likely be in general interleague play or as a rare set of scheduled games, but the once-proud Bay Area rivalry as a regular Bay Bridge Series would no longer be the same with the A’s move away. Fans still remember the rivalry as a long, friendly battle for Bay Area bragging rights.