The Athletics are preparing for their first season in West Sacramento. After a five-decade run in Oakland, the team left the Bay for a temporary stay in Sacramento before their permanent home opens in Las Vegas. Through all of that turmoil, Mark Kotsay has been the Athletics manager, steadying the ship through uncertain times. Kotsay was rewarded with a long-term extension on Monday.
That’s our Skipper!
We have signed Mark Kotsay to a contract extension through the 2028 season with a club option for 2029. pic.twitter.com/XSit06GIYt
— Athletics (@Athletics) February 17, 2025
The Athletics will have Mark Kotsay on the bench through at least 2028, so long as he does not get fired. But owner John Fisher won’t be looking to pay multiple managers at the same time while building a new stadium. His first three seasons as a manager have not ended in a playoff appearance but things are trending up.
After Bob Melvin left the Athletics for the Padres in 2021 the team needed a new voice. Meanwhile, the front office was offloading their best players for a significant rebuild. Matt Olson, Matt Chapman, Sean Murphy, Starling Marte, and Sean Manaea are just a few of the players on the last Melvin team no longer with the organization.
The Athletics have finally brought in a significant piece and signed a good player to an extension. Luis Severino and Brent Rooker will be there long-term and are the start of a core to build around.
The Athletics need to build around their high-priced players
With Vegas around the corner, the Athletics need to give fans a reason to stick around through their Sacramento era. Rooker and Severino are a good start but they need great performance from burgeoning prospects. Infielders Jacob Wilson and Max Muncy and outfielder Colby Thomas are the MLB-ready prospects in their MLB.com top ten.
That is how the Athletics competed in the late 2010s. The 2019 squad won 97 games and made the playoffs with only one player making over $10 million, designated hitter Khris Davis. The 2025 team has three players above that threshold, Severino, Rooker, and relief pitcher Jose Leclerc. Prospects are as important to this Athletics team as any in recent history.
While Kotsay’s club added some pieces this offseason, the Houston Astros subtracted from their championship core. If the American League West is up for grabs, Kotsay could bring the Athletics on an unlikely playoff run. But he will need to cultivate a great environment for young players who could make the team coming out of spring training.
The Athletics are set to open their new stadium in 2028 and Mark Kotsay will likely be running the team when that happens.
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