OAKLAND, Calif. – The A’s final home game of their final season began Friday night in Oakland, and no one can predict what will happen over the next six games and seven days.

After 57 seasons at the Colosseum, there will be emotions, but how those emotions will manifest themselves is the main question on everyone’s mind.

“We’ve heard some rumors and we’re going to talk about it a couple more times,” said left fielder Seth Brown, who is the Athletic’s longest-serving player in his sixth season. “The fans have always supported us and we hope they continue to support us positively. We want everyone to come out and enjoy the time and give it one last hurrah and at the same time we hope it’s done right.”

The A’s will play three games against the New York Yankees before closing out the home portion of their schedule with three games against the Texas Rangers. The final game Thursday afternoon will be the last major professional game in Oakland, which has lost three major franchises in five years — the Warriors, the Raiders and now the A’s.

Starting next spring, the A’s will play at least three seasons in a minor league stadium in Sacramento before moving permanently to Las Vegas.

The A’s have had to deal with one off-field distraction after another over the past two seasons, from the announcement in Las Vegas last April to the announcement in Sacramento this April.

“This is nothing new for us,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “But last year there was a lot more anger. This year it’s been really quiet and I don’t know if that’s because they’ve let their anger out. Those emotions will still be there as we get closer to Thursday, but that’s part of the healing process, whenever it starts.”

Fans in Oakland have staged numerous protests against owner John Fisher, who backed out of a huge development deal in Oakland in April 2023 and announced a move to Las Vegas. There was a highly publicized “reverse boycott” last year and an opening-day parking lot boycott this season — in which fans gathered in the parking lot but refused to enter the stadium.

Before Friday, the team had attracted 738,438 fans, the worst number in Major League Baseball.

“The last three games are going to be pretty epic for us and the fans,” said outfielder JJ Bleday. “But I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be exciting to play a few games in front of a crowd. Of course I feel bad for the fans, but we’re going to be a part of history.”

The A’s have taken some precautions for the final home game, telling players to be aware of their surroundings in case fans enter the field. Players have also been told not to gather with their families on the field after games to take photos.

“Just get out of there,” Bleday said.

Before Friday’s series opener against the Yankees, fans taped the ubiquitous “SELL” signs to the railings of the right- and left-field stands. Another sign – “VIVEK REGRET” – was a reference to Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive, who also owns the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, who will share Sutter Health Park with the A’s.

Ranadive, a friend of A’s owner Fisher, arranged the deal to give the A’s a temporary home with no rent.

“I wish we could stay here,” said Bleday, “but that is not in my hands. However, I have a jar ready that I can fill with soil.”