While the Athletics seem more likely than ever to relocate to Las Vegas after Nevada’s governor signed a bill providing $380MM in public funding for an MLB stadium in the state’s biggest city, Mick Akers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that the club will remain in Oakland through the end of their lease at the Coliseum, which expires after the 2024 season. As Akers notes, no discussions have taken place regarding the A’s leaving Oakland ahead of the 2024 campaign, as the 2024 MLB schedule is already set and poised to be released later this summer.
Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond, however, Akers notes that there are a variety of options being explored for the club’s temporary home until the Athletic’s planned ballpark in Las Vegas is ready, which isn’t expected to happen until 2028. Options Akers mentions for the A’s are Sacramento, Reno, and even alternative sites in the Bay Area. Most interestingly, Akers points out that the A’s have an agreement in place with Howard Hughes Corp, the owner of the club’s Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas, to use the Aviators’ 10,000 seat ballpark while construction of the permanent ballpark is underway.
Of course, there’s still much to do before the club’s planned relocation is official, to say nothing of the steps necessary to finalize a temporary home ballpark. The Athletics will need to have their relocation effort approved by 75% of MLB owners, and the MLB Players Association would have to give its approval for the club’s temporary home ballpark before any plans could be finalized. Still, Akers’s report nonetheless provides some a window into the options at the club’s disposal as they prepare to depart Oakland, their home for more than half a century.
More from around AL West…
- Astros right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. underwent flexor tendon surgery earlier this week that will keep him out of action for the rest of the season. While that’s surely a bitterly disappointing development for both McCullers and fans in Houston, the situation could have gone far worse, as The Athletic’s Chandler Rome notes in a recent article that McCullers and Dr. Neal ElAttrache entered operating room prepared for the possibility that the right-hander would require a second Tommy John surgery rather than the flexor tendon surgery he ultimately needed. Such a procedure would have left McCullers unavailable for at least twelve months, but the 29-year-old righty could begin throwing again toward the end of the 2023 campaign or shortly after the season’s conclusion. Unfortunately, that does little to assist an Astros rotation that has also lost Luis Garcia and Jose Urquidy to injury so far this season.
- The Rangers announced earlier this afternoon that catcher Sandy Leon had accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Round Rock. Leon had been designated for assignment by the club earlier this week. It’s great news for the Rangers, as Leon is a well respected defensive catcher and game caller. While he slashed just .146/.186/.195 in 21 games with the Rangers this season that translates to an abysmal wRC+ of 2, Leon’s presence at Triple-A will provide the Rangers with catching depth behind their current trio of Jonah Heim, Sam Huff, and Mitch Garver while also providing the club’s young pitchers at the level with a veteran catcher who could aid in their development.
Texas should start Garver more at catcher. He is 4 games from becoming C eligible on my fantasy team. He’s currently a DH. Also, idk what that rally killer Leon was doing in MLB. He should be sent to A or AA.
Wow, I was distraught about your fantasy team, will you be OK?
Lol. I didn’t think there was anything serious to comment about here.
Just curious, is he currently only DH eligible in your league? All my leagues he’s catcher eligible. Players such as him are grandfathered their last position eligibility if they do not play enough games to break any threshold of position requirements. I never have really looked into but I was under assumption most fantasy platforms were set up in that manor.
Yeah. I don’t understand why ESPN has it that way, but they just assumed Heim was a catcher and Garver would DH. I think that’s how they listed him on the depth chart on MLB.com over the offseason. I blame Chris Young. He only has 6 games so far at catcher, and I didn’t play last season, so he wouldn’t have status transfer, if I understand correctly. It is quite absurd that a lifelong catcher isn’t eligible, while Varsho somehow is.
@degrom
Zunino is available! Maybe somebody in the Rangers org can teach him not to ever swing at a curveball!
“Straight ball i hit it very much. Curveball, bats are afraid”…
Look how fast the state of NV was able to get it done. A mere 2 weeks after the announcement was made The A’s and Bally’s had an agreement.
If this were CA, It would have taken years. Multiple agencies would have to sign off on it. A EPIS would have to be done. The EPA gets involved. blah blah blah.
It would have taken years before construction could start.
I’m sure a lawsuit or two would have been filed. Meanwhile the cost of the stadium would increase.,
Heaven forbid while workers were grading the foundation for the ballpark they found the remains of prehistoric dinosaur.Or the remains of a Indian tribe. That would halt construction. Meanwhile the cost of the ballpark escalates again.
What was supposed to be $2B ballpark completed for the 2027 season. Becomes a $4B ballpark completed in 2030.Thsts California for ya.
And they will probably be a successful team rather quickly once they settle in
You sound like someone that’s lost some $$$$ there.
Yeah, but California is an amazing place to live while Nevada is ah, Nevada. Las Vegas is one of the sorriest, most ridiculous places on the planet.
California north of Orange County is a cesspool only turds would like it.
@Bills,
You most likely couldn’t afford a windowless garage with no electricity in Northern California, so I can understand your angst. We do have outstanding charitable organizations that would assist you, though.
If you ain’t in Hollywood hills or if you ain’t making over million a year than californa ain’t it. Outside of the triangle is a dumpster fire. Yes california has great food but it’s also in 50+ bilon debt. California also agreed to pay illegals $300 a week.
No thanks
Keep that state to yourself bc we all know you’re just as broke as the rest of us
Come on, N’POOP. Now you’re just being silly.
Lol, why the food compliment before the barrage of news cycle for idiots propaganda?
I am glad California does that. A friend of mine who moved to Waco, texas high-tailed back after the second chemical plant explosion.
And California doesn’t have oil refinery explosions ????
It does. Our government does everything to prevent it, though. In waco chemival plant investigation Feds found out texas had vertually no oversight. I would rather live where the government does its job even if it takes a little longer.
in oakland’s case they stood against billionairs’ monopoly demanding our taxes to be spend on them especially the tax revenue from grant would not be significant.
especially ‘when’—–
Don’t fool yourself I could afford it but why, homeless taking over the cities, highest taxes in the nation. You’re probably living in government housing.
If you ever find your way out of Georgia, you’re always welcome to sleep in my garage. It has windows and electricity, and it’s probably nicer than your trailer.
you been in a trailer lately? nicer than some homes these days.
Single-Wide or Double-Wide?
For an Angels fan, you sure are obsessed with the U.S. State they play in, Winslow.
Stienbrenner,
Whatever that means. Having lived in CA. All my life. I think I know what goes on here. W’ere taxed to death will little to show for it.
It was great place to live in in the 50’s thru the late 90’s.
Angels owner Arte had enough of dealing with City of Anaheim. and said F it Im out.
I hope Oakland doesn’t let the A’s play there. John Fisher doesn’t deserve to have his team play in a sandlot in the city of Oakland. Can’t wait until he stops breathing
John Fisher doesn’t deserve to own that team or any team for that matter!!
(lifelong Mariner fan here)
It has taken several years not 2 weeks Fischer has been playing both sides OAK and Vegas for years now. You say it as though the Vegas just sprang up out of the blue which is unequivocally false.
I’m talking about the process once they decided on a site to build the ballpark. Read the 1st 2 lines of my post. Of course it doesn’t take 2 weeks to decide on where to play SMH.
What process?? They announced months ago they re hoping to build on the strip. You say it as though they re breaking ground or something already.
Tiger3232- They’re were many sites in play. Not just ones on the strip. In fact they bought land on west side of the 15. I’m talking about the process of City, County and State approving everything. When did I say they’re breaking ground. ???
It’s a lot easier to get the ball rolling in a state the size of Nevada. California has one of the largest economies in the world. Larger than most countries. Of course there will be a lot more involved in getting a deal approved there. It’s doubtful a similar bill would pass the California legislator. There would have to be some kind of pork going to cities like LA, SD etc to get their vote. $380m in funding for one city would quickly turn into $2B divided by several cities. California should divide into a couple of different states. It would lower living costs and especially taxes for all who live there.
The money in the state bill actually restricts them to the one site provided by Bally’s (and actually demands they pay for the site which was previously being gifted to them). Yes, they can choose other sites but if they want the money they have to…play ball.
I’m sure they will pay it back. Like I said there WERE many potential sites they were looking at.
The Oakland Athletics of Sacramento has a nice ring to it.
Oh yeah Sacofyomatos. The City that had someone start construction on a ballpark only to dtop construction and abandon it.
It would be hilarious if the MLBPA says no to A’s playing in the Aviators ballpark.
With the current team in place, they should really look into dissolving it until the new stadium is ready. Start over as an expansion team and draft well. Everybody needs a fresh start with this franchise.
A’s have a history. From Philadelphia to KC and finally Oakland. They’re not going dissolve something that has value for the owner. And besides they would have a # number of teams.So I would think every day there would be a team not playing. or something along those lines. They’re not going to do it so they can “Start Fresh”. They should have a better team by the time they move in to the new ballpark.
Odd# of teams