As he sat in the Athletics clubhouse at Sutter Health Park two days before Major League Baseball’s trade deadline, General Manager David Forst said much of what the team has worked on in terms of players is focused on 2028 — when the franchise is expected to begin playing in Las Vegas.
“It’s important for us to be competitive, win and try to get back to a playoff window,” said Forst, who is in his 10th season as the A’s top baseball executive. “It starts with a foundation of a core group of players. When you look at this roster now, it’s easy to see what the team would look like in the new ballpark.”
Forty-eight hours later, the A’s traded arguably two of the team’s best pitchers, closer Mason Miller and starter JP Sears, to the San Diego Padres for four players, including shortstop Leo De Vries, an 18-year-old from the Dominican Republic who was rated as the Padres’ No. 1 prospect and the third-ranked prospect in baseball overall, according to MLB.com.
