Tim Hudson and Barry Zito facing off will happen Saturday

The biggest reward one could ask for is to pitch in the final series against his former team.

The biggest storyline of the weekend will be Saturday’s matchup between longtime teammates and friends Barry Zito and Tim Hudson, in what has turned into a reunion special for the former “big three” of the Athletics. Zito said before the A’s lost 8-6 to Texas on Tuesday…. “I came to peace with the fact that Omaha was my last start”. “I still have to be a player, so I won’t be able to enjoy it as much as if I was in the dugout and didn’t have to lock in for a game”. Monday was our last game. The team threw me a little party. I was hanging out at home.

I think the three of us, we were hitting our stride and starting to figure out what kind of pitchers we were in the big leagues at the same time, Hudson said. “This is all bonus, like triple-bonus situation right now”.

San Francisco Giants pitcher Tim Hudson throws to the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, September 20, 2015, in San Francisco. Make it happen, @Athletics and @SFGiants!!! “Our fans, first and foremost…it will be a terrific day, with Hudson pitching on the other side”, Melvin said. “Really and truly he deserves it, based on what he did this year in Triple-A, what he’s meant to this organization”.

Congratulations A’s and Giants fans, you did it!

But he takes himself out of the equation.

“I don’t know, man. I’m preparing for more”, Zito said.

For reasons best understood by them, the A’s had resisted calling up Zito, who tried to make the team out of spring training after sitting out the 2014 season, then accepted a minor-league assignment when he didn’t earn a spot. Hudson was the AL wins leader in 2000, and Zito won the AL Cy Young Award in 2012. “It’s going to be awesome”.

Jesse Hahn, who had been all but shut down this season with a forearm strain, is throwing at a distance of 60 feet and feels great, Melvin said.

“I can’t be a fan that day, ‘ he said”. Just a couple weeks ago, General Manager Billy Beane had reiterated that Zito would not be called up for a possible showdown with Hudson, who will be making his final career start as well. “When you’re in the middle of something you usually don’t know how special it is until you’re away from it to reflect”, Zito said.