A's Manager Mark Kotsay Excited for Las Vegas Amid Stadium Progress

The A’s skipper gave his thoughts on next season and beyond as relocation continues

Dec 10, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Athletics manager Mark Kotsay speaks with the media at the Hilton Anatole during the 2024 MLB Winter Meetings. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

With the recent opening of the A’s Ballpark Experience Center in Las Vegas, it is hard not to get excited about the future of the Athletics. Amid the team's relocation to Sin City, Mark Kotsay gave some insight into his excitement and expectations for 2028.

Come 2028, the A’s are expecting to not only have their own brand-new ballpark, but also facilities that will allow players to continue growing and progressing during the offseason.

Under the current circumstances in Sacramento, due to a severe lack of space, players simply can’t treat it like a major league stadium. But once relocation is complete and the A’s can officially move in, a home base in Las Vegas will provide players with something they simply don’t have at the moment–a home.

In an interview with Chris Townsend on A’s Cast, Kotsay said, “I love the thought process of having our own stadium and being able to have a group of guys work out there in November, December, and in January, and drop into the stadium and be able to hang out and have lunch with the guys in the offseason.”

“It gives you a head start [and] an opportunity to build a better relationship, a tighter bond,” he said.

While the primary focus is on bolstering the roster ahead of spring training and the 2026 season, the organization has to be mindful of how it works toward Las Vegas. With simultaneous projects, literally, being done in Sacramento with the product on the field and in Vegas with the ballpark’s construction, the A’s have their hands full.

In addition to preparing for what is expected to be an exciting season where the young team takes strides toward the postseason, they also have to think of the bigger picture.

The A’s need to continue preparing for Las Vegas, whether that be through free agent signings, contract extensions on current core players, or promoting minor league talent. The A’s have struggled when it comes to free agency because, outside of moving to Las Vegas, which continues to be a tough commitment for incoming players, the team just doesn’t have much leverage.

When talking to free agents and potential additions, Kotsay focuses on the community awaiting the organization in Las Vegas. He said, “The community of Vegas is a special place. Everyone thinks of Vegas because they’ve been on the strip and to the casinos because it's a tourism place, but the community is stronger than you know.”

Jokingly, but with truth behind it, he said, “The biggest thing I can tell a free agent is you’re going to get a pay raise because it's tax-free.”

Current targets for the A’s:

When discussing additions ahead of the 2026 season, Kotsay is looking to bolster the infield. Defense became a significant issue for the A’s last year, and if they want to take a stride toward the postseason, they will need some help, primarily at second base.

“It would be nice to bring someone in with the back of a baseball card that’s got experience, that plays good defense, but I do believe and am confident in the crew that is going to go into spring training,” Kotsay said.

The A’s have talent, whether it be Darell Hernaiz, Brett Harris, Max Muncy, or the currently injured Zack Gelof, but this next year is about who can make the adjustments and the improvements to be an everyday infielder that can produce at the plate.