MLB · analysisThe A's Are Building Something Real — Even From a Minor League Ballpark
Playing in Sacramento while their Las Vegas stadium takes shape, the Athletics are proving that their rebuild isn't a punchline anymore.
The Oakland Athletics — now playing home games at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento — have spent years as the butt of relocation jokes and budget punchlines. The 2026 season is their answer to all of it.
The A's enter the year with a roster that quietly ranks among the most dangerous lineups in the American League. They finished seventh in home runs, eighth in OPS, and fifth in slugging last season. This isn't a team hoping to stumble into relevance — this is a team that can hit with anyone in the majors.
What's changed is the organizational philosophy. The A's are doing something they've never been able to do before: keeping their core together. Brent Rooker was extended in 2024, followed by deals for Lawrence Butler, Tyler Soderstrom, and Jacob Wilson. The days of watching homegrown talent walk in free agency appear to be over.
President of baseball operations David Forst has been candid about the shift. The organization needed financial flexibility in previous years, which meant watching competitive windows open and close in two-to-three year cycles. The planned move to Las Vegas — and the revenue it promises — has changed the calculus entirely.
The AL West is there for the taking. The Mariners have been inconsistent, the Rangers feel caught between rebuilding and competing, and the Astros' dynasty window is narrowing. The Angels remain a non-factor. If the A's stay healthy and their young pitching develops, a playoff berth isn't just possible — it's expected.
Playing in a minor league ballpark while building toward a major league future is a strange look. But the A's don't seem to care about the optics. They care about winning.
Playing in a minor league ballpark while building toward a major league future is a strange look.
