Manfred: A’s have begun relocation process
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Alden Gonzalez, ESPN Staff Writer
SEATTLE — The Athletics, poised to move out of Oakland and into Las Vegas, have “begun to submit information related to their relocation application,” Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred stated Tuesday, adding that the application is “not complete at this point.”
About a month ago, the Nevada State Legislature approved a $380 million bill that would help fund a proposed 30,000-seat, $1.5 billion retractable-roof ballpark on the Tropicana hotel site along the Vegas strip. The A’s, based in Oakland since 1968, hope to break ground next year and open the venue in time for the 2028 season. Their lease at the Oakland Coliseum expires after the 2024 season and their interim home has yet to be decided.
“Our relocation guidelines actually spell out clearly what needs to be included in an application,” Manfred said, while speaking during his pre-All-Star Game appearance in front of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. “One of the things that you have to include is what’s gonna happen during the interim period. They have not made a submission on that topic.”
MLB established a relocation committee in June, a group headed by Milwaukee Brewers chairman Mark Attanasio, to evaluate the A’s move. John Middleton and John Sherman, CEOs of the Philadelphia Phillies and the Kansas City Royals, respectively, also make up the committee, which will make a recommendation to the 30 owners for a yet-to-be-determined vote on the A’s move. Seventy-five-percent approval is required.
The A’s went into the All-Star break with a major league-worst 25-67 record and are averaging slightly over 10,000 fans per game, the lowest in the industry. Their biggest crowd came during what was deemed a “reverse boycott” on June 13, when an announced crowd of 27,759 showed up to plead with John Fisher to sell the team.
“My single biggest disappointment is that because of the kind of political process in Oakland, we didn’t find a solution to keep the A’s in Oakland,” Manfred said. “That’s No. 1 on the disappointment list.”
Manfred added that he remains “hopeful” that the Tampa Bay Rays can make significant progress with local officials on a permanent home this year and re-stated that expansion to 32 teams will not happen until the A’s and Rays’ situations are settled.
“I hope pretty shortly thereafter we would put together an expansion committee and start talking, internally first, about the issues associated with expansion,” Manfred said. “Obviously there are economic issues. You’re talking about diminishing the central revenue available to the 30 [teams], making it 32. You gotta figure out the impact of that, and then you gotta think about what you would be looking for in terms of an expansion fee in order to offset that.”
It has been a quarter century since the league last expanded, adding the Rays and the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1998. Adding two more teams could drastically alter the sport’s geographic alignments.
“If you’re going to go to 32, are you gonna make format divisional changes? What should it look like?” Manfred said. “So there’s some internal work that’s gonna take some time to get done.”
Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley on Monday was placed on the 10-day injured list for the second time in two months with a strained lower abdominal muscle.
Right-hander Grant Holmes, meanwhile, has opted to rehab his injured right elbow rather than undergoing Tommy John surgery, manager Brian Snitker told reporters.
Riley suffered the injury while tagging out Cincinnati’s Elly De La Cruz near home plate in the Braves’ 4-2 win on Sunday in the rain-delayed MLB Speedway Classic at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Riley also landed on the IL on July 12 with a strained abdomen. He returned on July 25.
The Braves recalled infielders Nacho Alvarez Jr. and Jonathan Ornelas from Triple-A Gwinnett before opening a home series against Milwaukee on Monday night. The team optioned outfielder Jarred Kelenic to Gwinnett following Sunday’s game.
Riley is hitting .260 with 16 homers and 54 RBIs.
Snitker said Holmes, who has damage to his UCL, made the decision to not have surgery at the present time after consulting with two doctors. The pitcher could also reconsider and have surgery after the season.
Snitker did not give a timeline as to when Snitker, who was placed on the 60-day injured list on July 27, will begin throwing again. He is not eligible to be activated until Sept. 26.
Holmes is 4-9 with a 3.99 ERA and 123 strikeouts this season. He had 15 strikeouts in a game against the Colorado Rockies in June.
The Braves’ other Opening Day starters also are all on the injured list, with AJ Smith-Shawver out for the season after having Tommy John surgery.
Snitker said All-Star left-hander Chris Sale threw a bullpen session as he works his way back from a fractured rib. He is next scheduled to throw live batting practice.
Reynaldo Lopez, who was placed on the IL on March 29 with shoulder inflammation after one start, is playing catch, but Snitker said there is no timetable for his return.
Spencer Schwellenbach, who is recovering from a fractured elbow, has not resumed throwing.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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