The introduction of the Houston Astros to the American League West and interleague home games against three of baseball’s most storied franchises — the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds — highlight the 2013 A’s schedule, which was announced Wednesday.

The A’s and manager Bob Melvin will open their season for the fourth straight year against the Seattle Mariners at the Coliseum on April 1. Oakland wastes no time in getting to know the Astros, as it will hit the road for a three-game series starting April 5.

Due to the Astros making their AL West debut next season, the A’s will play only four games against the cross-Bay rival Giants — compared to six previously — in interleague play next season, visiting AT&T Park on May 27-28 and then hosting the Giants at the Coliseum on May 29-30.

Next season’s slate also features the Cubs’ first appearance in Oakland, as they visit the A’s for a three-game series July 2-4. Other interleague home games on tap include the 2011 World Series champion Cardinals for a three-game weekend series June 28-30 and the current NL Central Division-leading Reds in a two-game set June 25-26.

April

1    Seattle
2    Seattle
3    Seattle
4    Seattle
5    at Houston
6    at Houston
7    at Houston
9    at L.A. Angels
10    at L.A. Angels
11    at L.A. Angels
12    Detroit
13    Detroit
14    Detroit
15    Houston
16    Houston
17    Houston
19    at Tampa Bay
20    at Tampa Bay
21    at Tampa Bay
22    at Boston
23    at Boston
24    at Boston
25    Baltimore
26    Baltimore
27    Baltimore
28    Baltimore
29    L.A. Angels
30    L.A. Angels

May

1    L.A. Angels
3    at N.Y. Yankees
4    at N.Y. Yankees
5    at N.Y. Yankees
6    at Cleveland
7    at Cleveland
8    at Cleveland
9    at Cleveland
10    at Seattle
11    at Seattle
12    at Seattle
13    Texas
14    Texas
15    Texas
17    Kansas City
18    Kansas City
19    Kansas City
20    at Texas
21    at Texas
22    at Texas
24    at Houston
25    at Houston
26    at Houston
27    at GIANTS
28    at GIANTS
29    GIANTS
30    GIANTS
31    Chi. White Sox

June

1    Chi. White Sox
2    Chi. White Sox
3    at Milwaukee
4    at Milwaukee
5    at Milwaukee
6    at Chi. White Sox
7    at Chi. White Sox
8    at Chi. White Sox
9    at Chi. White Sox
11    N.Y. Yankees
12    N.Y. Yankees
13    N.Y. Yankees
14    Seattle
15    Seattle
16    Seattle
17    at Texas
18    at Texas
19    at Texas
20    at Texas
21    at Seattle
22    at Seattle
23    at Seattle
25    Cincinnati
26    Cincinnati
28    St. Louis
29    St. Louis
30    St. Louis

July

2    Chicago Cubs
3    Chicago Cubs
4    Chicago Cubs
5    at Kansas City
6    at Kansas City
7    at Kansas City
8    at Pittsburgh
9    at Pittsburgh
10    at Pittsburgh
12    Boston
13    Boston
14    Boston
19    at L.A. Angels
20    at L.A. Angels
21    at L.A. Angels
22    at Houston
23    at Houston
24    at Houston
25    L.A. Angels
26    L.A. Angels
27    L.A. Angels
28    L.A. Angels
29    Toronto
30    Toronto
31    Toronto

August

2    Texas
3    Texas
4    Texas
6    at Cincinnati
7    at Cincinnati
9    at Toronto
10    at Toronto
11    at Toronto
12    at Toronto
13    Houston
14    Houston
15    Houston
16    Cleveland
17    Cleveland
18    Cleveland
19    Seattle
20    Seattle
21    Seattle
23    at Baltimore
24    at Baltimore
25    at Baltimore
26    at Detroit
27    at Detroit
28    at Detroit
29    at Detroit
30    Tampa Bay
31    Tampa Bay

September

1    Tampa Bay
2    Texas
3    Texas
4    Texas
5    Houston
6    Houston
7    Houston
8    Houston
10    at Minnesota
11    at Minnesota
12    at Minnesota
13    at Texas
14    at Texas
15    at Texas
16    L.A. Angels
17    L.A. Angels
18    L.A. Angels
19    Minnesota
20    Minnesota
21    Minnesota
22    Minnesota
23    at L.A. Angels
24    at L.A. Angels
25    at L.A. Angels
27    at Seattle
28    at Seattle
29    at Seattle