Oakland Athletics

The Oakland Athletics reportedly had MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred on their side when it came to pursuing a new ballpark, according to Alex Coffey of The Athletic. 

He was willing to "put public pressure on the city" if progress between the city of Oakland and the Athletics franchise were to hit a stalemate. 

Per Coffey, Manfred's offer dated back to 2017. 

The A's, who have played in the city since 1968, have been focused on building a new stadium on the waterfront at Howard Terminal. But the city hasn't voted on its $12 billion proposal, and the team is considering relocating, per ESPN's Jeff Passan. Las Vegas; Nashville, Tennessee; Portland, Oregon; Vancouver, British Columbia; Montreal; and Charlotte, North Carolina, have been proposed as locations.

"The future success of the A's depends on a new ballpark," A's owner John Fisher said in a statement Tuesday. "Oakland is a great baseball town, and we will continue to pursue our waterfront ballpark project. We will also follow MLB's direction to explore other markets."

According to A's president Dave Kaval, via Coffey and colleague Steve Berman, the team was planning to move into the new stadium in Oakland by the 2023 season. Per their report, the Howard Terminal project was the only one submitted under the required guidelines in 2019 that was not approved within the calendar year. 

"We had a timeline before where we really felt strongly we could open by 2023. Obviously that’s not going to happen," Kaval told The Athletic in February. "And when people ask me, ‘Hey what is the new timeline?’ All I can say is we don’t know right now."

The city told the team in February that the proposed new park would not open until 2027. The club's lease on the Oakland Coliseum is up in 2024. 

"It doesn’t mean we’ve given up, but it means that we need to keep our options open, because the franchise does need a new ballpark," Kaval said. "We can’t get around that fact, that’s a fundamental thing in the way, and we just don’t have that right now in Oakland."

The Oakland Athletics "will start exploring the possibility of relocating with the blessing of Major League Baseball" because of difficulties in getting a new stadium in Oakland, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

The A's have a lease at Oakland Coliseum through 2024. Passan shared a statement from MLB in which it said the venue's site "is not a viable option for the future vision of baseball."

The team provided MLB's full statement:

A's president Dave Kaval also addressed the situation:

The Oakland Raiders relocated to Las Vegas last year, and Passan reported that might be the "likeliest possibility" for the A's as well. He included a list of additional possibilities that Commissioner Rob Manfred has mentioned: Portland, Oregon; Vancouver, British Columbia; Nashville, Tennessee; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Montreal.

The need for a new stadium is understandable. The Coliseum is 55 years old, tying it with Angel Stadium as the fourth-oldest in MLB. It doesn't have the charm of Dodger Stadium, Wrigley Field or Fenway Park, and it has structural issues that surface every so often.

The problem is finding a new home for the A's. The Golden State Warriors also recently moved from Oakland but had difficulties in getting San Francisco's Chase Center built.

A's ownership is pursuing a plan in which a 35,000-seat stadium would be part of a larger development at the Port of Oakland's Howard Terminal.

The organization touts the stadium as privately financed, but the price tag would come to $12 billion, per the Bay Area News Group's Shayna Rubin. Sarah Ravani of the San Francisco Chronicle explained $855 million in tax revenue was projected to go toward infrastructure upgrades around the site. And that's only a small sample of costs to taxpayers.

Ravani also wrote that environmental groups didn't believe their concerns about air and water quality, greenhouse gas emissions, the handling of hazardous materials at the site, transportation and other issues had been fully addressed.

It's not uncommon for MLB teams to use the idea of relocation as leverage for stadium upgrades or new stadiums.

In December, Tampa Bay Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg told the Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin, "There's no plan B right now" with regard to a proposal wherein the Rays would split their time between Florida and Montreal.

In the event the A's are unable to make progress with the Howard Terminal site, this certainly won't be the last time they publicly float the idea of leaving Oakland.

Welcome to the future, Oakland Athletics.

Athletics president Dave Kaval announced Monday that his team completed the first Dogecoin transaction in Major League Baseball history for tickets to see Oakland take on the Toronto Blue Jays at RingCentral Coliseum:

Oakland is selling two-seat pods for the series that runs Monday through Thursday for 100 Dogecoin.

According to an MLB press release, the Athletics were also the first team in league history to offer tickets for cryptocurrency earlier this year when they made full-season suites available for one Bitcoin.

Fans purchasing tickets with cryptocurrency will have the chance to watch a first-place team, as the 17-12 Athletics are one game ahead of the Seattle Mariners in the American League West.

Oakland Athletics pitcher Jesus Luzardo suffered a hairline fracture in his hand while going through his pregame warm-up routine (some might say).

Luzardo was playing a video game before his start against the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday when he hit his hand on a table. Trainers cleared him to pitch, but he underwent an X-ray after the game that revealed a hairline fracture, manager Bob Melvin told reporters Sunday. Luzardo was ultimately moved to the injured list with a fracture in his pitching hand. 

He lasted three innings and gave up five hits and six runs (three earned) in the 8-4 loss. The former top prospect has a 5.79 ERA and 1.61 WHIP in six starts this season.

Maybe next time he'll just opt for the classic rage quit.

Oakland Athletics infielder Jed Lowrie claimed the New York Mets prohibited him from getting surgery to address a knee fat pad impingement from 2019, according to The Athletic's Peter Gammons.

Anthony DiComo of MLB.com spoke to a source who confirmed Lowrie requested to have surgery last summer but was denied. A team spokesman declined to comment.

Gammons reported the Mets had threatened to file a grievance against Lowrie if he had the procedure. The 36-year-old subsequently went under the knife last October.

"When you’re questioned on social media or by people behind your back, I consider it to be nothing more significant than gossip," Lowrie said. "I’ve had some injuries, but this last situation with the Mets was really frustrating."

Lowrie signed a two-year, $20 million deal with the Mets ahead of the 2019 season. A month after agreeing to his contract, he was diagnosed with a knee capsule sprain. As the 2018 All-Star continued to be out, then-general manager Brodie Van Wagenen told reporters in July 2019 he was suffering from posterior cruciate ligament laxity.

Lowrie ultimately made just nine appearances that season before missing all of the shortened campaign in 2020.

Now that he's back to 100 percent, the MLB veteran is starting to look like his old self. He entered Saturday with one home run, three RBI and a .276/.364/.448 slash line through nine games.

On the Mets' side, it's doubtful there will be much fallout since Van Wagenen is out and the franchise is under new ownership with Steven Cohen.

The Oakland Athletics have reportedly agreed to a one-year, $11 million contract with veteran closer Trevor Rosenthal, according to MLB Network's Jon Heyman.  

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Rosenthal was originally looking to sign a four-year deal but had to settle for a short-term offer because the market for relievers "cratered."

Rosenthal missed the entire 2018 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He returned in 2019 and had the worst year of his career, posting a 13.50 ERA over 15.1 innings. As a result, he had to settle for a minor league deal heading into the 2020 campaign.

The 30-year-old returned to form in 2020 between spells with the Kansas City Royals and San Diego Padres. He finished with a 2.22 FIP and averaged a personal-best 14.5 strikeouts per nine innings, according to FanGraphs.

Per Baseball Savant, opposing hitters had an expected weighted on-base average of .210 against Rosenthal, the third-lowest in all of MLB.

There's likely to be some level of regression in 2021 because stats can be a bit skewed in a shortened season. Even if the A's get the pre-Tommy John version of Rosenthal, this will have been a shrewd move.

The right-hander gives Oakland an upgrade at closer and a possible trade chip at the deadline if the team is out of the playoff hunt.

Kansas City got outfielder Edward Olivares and a player to be named later (minor league pitcher Dylan Coleman) when it flipped Rosenthal to San Diego last August. Olivares, 24, had a .240/.267/.375 slash line in 31 games for the Padres and Royals.

The one-year term on the contract also allows Rosenthal to cash in next offseason if he puts together another dominant year.

Oakland Athletics catcher Sean Murphy will miss "several weeks" after undergoing surgery for a collapsed lung. The 26-year-old is expected to be ready by Opening Day on April 1.

"I don't think he liked the idea of just sort of being out there in the world not knowing if this was going to happen again, so he got the surgery done, took care of it and it's only going to set him back a few weeks," A's general manager David Forst told reporters Wednesday. "It's one of those things that popped up. We're glad he got it taken care of, got the surgery done."

The team isn't exactly sure how Murphy sustained the injury but believes it may have occurred during a coughing fit while the catcher was sleeping. Murphy woke up with the issue a few weeks ago and went to the emergency room because he didn't feel right.

The New York native is expected to join the team at spring training in the coming days after pitchers and catchers for all clubs were scheduled to report Wednesday.

"The prognosis as we sit here sounds good," manager Bob Melvin said. "Our training staff believes we'll get him here in time in spring at some point, obviously a little bit delayed, but the timetable is for him to be ready for Opening Day. It sounds pretty dramatic and it certainly did to me as well, but they think the procedure went well and the prognosis is good."

Murphy was one of the constants in Oakland's lineup last year as the A's made a run to the American League West title before they fell to the Houston Astros in the AL Division Series.

He slashed .233/.364/.457 in 43 games with seven home runs and 14 RBI.

Oakland enters camp with Aramis Garcia and Austin Allen lined up behind Murphy at catcher on the 40-man roster depth chart. Those two will now get a bigger opportunity to prove themselves as the regular season nears.

The Oakland Athletics reportedly bolstered their bullpen with two additions on Sunday.

ESPN's Jeff Passan and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the American League West team signed Yusmeiro Petit and Sergio Romo. Petit's deal is for one year and $2.55 million, while Romo's is for one year and $2.25 million. 

According to Spotrac, Oakland's total 2021 salary was $59.9 million before these deals. That means its updated payroll will be approximately $64.7 million.

Here is a look at how the bullpen may look in 2021, per FanGraph's roster breakdown:

• Closer: Jake Diekman
• Closer/Set-up: Sergio Romo
• Closer/Set-up: Lou Trivino
• Middle: J.B. Wendelken
• Middle: Yusmeiro Petit
• Middle: Nik Turley
• Middle: Adam Kolarek
• Middle: Dany Jimenez
• Long: Paul Blackburn

Both of these pitchers will add a veteran presence to the bullpen.

Petit has been in the league since 2006 and has pitched for then-Florida Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants, Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Angels and Athletics. He won a World Series in 2014 for the Giants as teammates of Romo and was in Oakland the last three seasons.

He sparkled in 2020 with a 1.66 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 17 strikeouts in 21.2 innings.

Romo has been in the league since 2008 and pitched for the Giants for the first nine years of his career. Since then, he has been a journeyman for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays, Minnesota Twins and Miami Marlins.

He was at his best in San Francisco as an All-Star in 2013 and three-time World Series champion. His best days may be in the rearview mirror since he posted a 4.05 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 23 strikeouts in 20 innings during the shortened 2020 campaign for the Twins.

Still, that was a small sample size and not far removed from when he tallied a solid 3.43 ERA in 2019 for the Twins and Marlins. 

Oakland made the playoffs in each of the last three seasons and now has two more quality and proven arms to rely on in the bullpen.

The Oakland Athletics have agreed to one-year contracts with free-agent relievers Yusmeiro Petit and Sergio Romo, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Petit's contract will be worth $2.55 million, plus incentives, agent Rafael Godoy told Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle. The 36-year-old Petit has spent the past three years with the Athletics.

"He's excited to return. It was his first choice all along,'' Godoy told the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com). "The team had been in contact all winter.''

Romo, who spent the past one-plus seasons with the Minnesota Twins, will make $2.25 million, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Petit made 26 appearances for the Athletics in 2020 and pitched well, finishing 2-1 with a 1.66 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 17 strikeouts in 21.2 innings. In his three seasons with the A's, he's posted a 2.73 ERA and 0.93 WHIP.

In his career, Petit has pitched for the Florida Marlins (2006), Arizona Diamondbacks (2007-2009), San Francisco Giants (2012-2015), Washington Nationals (2016), Los Angeles Angels (2017) and the Athletics. He's posted a career 3.93 ERA and 1.15 WHIP.

Petit began his career largely serving as a starting pitcher but later made the switch to full-time reliever, even ending up out of Major League Baseball in 2011 and pitching in the Mexican Baseball League. He's been nothing short of fantastic for the Athletics, however, making his return to Oakland a savvy move for the team.

Romo, 37, spent the 2020 season with the Minnesota Twins, finishing 1-2 with a 4.05 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 23 strikeouts in 20 innings. He spent the majority of his career with the San Francisco Giants (2008-2016), where he won three titles and was an All-Star in 2013, before stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2017), Tampa Bay Rays (2017-2018), Miami Marlins (2019) and the Twins (2019-2020).

For his career, he's posted a 2.95 ERA and 1.02 WHIP.

Oakland's bullpen was one of its strengths in 2020 for the 36-24 Athletics, though losing Liam Hendriks and Joakim Soria in free agency was a major blow. The return of Petit and to a lesser extent the addition of Romo should help mitigate those losses.

The Oakland Athletics agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million deal with veteran pitcher Mike Fiers, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Alex Coffey.

Fiers, who spent the last two-and-a-half seasons in Oakland, finished 6-3 with a 4.58 ERA and a 4.94 FIP in 11 appearances in 2020, per FanGraphs.

The San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser reported the A's were the only MLB team to table a firm offer and questioned whether other franchises were retaliating against Fiers.

The 35-year-old told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich in November 2019 how the Houston Astros stole signs electronically during the 2017 season. For many, the scandal tainted Houston's World Series triumph.

Perhaps some teams were freezing Fiers out for blowing the whistle. His free-agent profile wasn't one of a pitcher likely to get heavy interest this offseason, though. He's on the wrong end of the aging curve, and he has finished with more than two wins above replacement twice since becoming an MLB regular in 2012.

Per Brooks Baseball, his four-seam fastball and sinker velocity dipped to 88.48 and 88.47 mph, respectively, in 2020. In addition, his strikeout percentage has fallen for three straight seasons, hitting a career low 14.4 percent last year, according to Baseball Savant.

From 2015 to 2019, Fiers averaged 31 appearances and nearly 172 innings.

A pitcher who can eat up innings while keeping his ERA relatively low will always have a place at the back of the rotation. Fiers is unlikely to make a big difference in Oakland's staff, though.