The Oakland Athletics' ongoing relocation saga took another concrete, albeit temporary step forward, with the team announcing a slate of regular-season games to be played in Las Vegas during the 2026 MLB season. As reported by FOX5 Vegas, the A's will settle into Las Vegas Ballpark for back-to-back series from June 8 through June 14, pitting them against the Milwaukee Brewers and the Colorado Rockies in what's being billed as an early taste of the team's future in Sin City.
In this brief Vegas stint, the schedule, according to News3LV, includes three games against the Brewers from June 8-10, followed by a three-game series against the Rockies from June 12-14. The Athletics, no strangers to the desert, have flexed their muscles at Las Vegas Ballpark before, but only for spring training games. This time, however, the stakes are higher, with these games marking the franchise's significant step towards their relocation to Las Vegas, eyeing the grand opening of their new $2 billion ballpark in 2028.
While the A's temporary home field at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento serves its purpose, it's the glitter of Las Vegas and the expectancy of the new stadium drawing attention. The A's President, Marc Badain, in an interview with The Nevada Independent, applauded Aviators President Don Logan for his role in making the Las Vegas games happen. "He's been pushing for this for a while. There's a lot of machinations that you have to go through," Badain said, "the dates in June made the most sense."
As preparations for the new stadium chug along, with a timeline showing early next year for steel placement, the promise of "vertical work" come fall has been teased by Badain, according to The Nevada Independent. Las Vegas Ballpark is already home to the A's Triple-A affiliate. And while it seats only 10,000, it's poised to offer Athletics fans a temporary harbor as they await the completion of their new sporting citadel. Aviators season ticket holders and those on the 2028 season ticket priority list will have dibs on the tickets, with remaining seats going to the general public, an arrangement which underscores a cozy relationship between these baseball entities.
Thirty years ago, construction delays at the Oakland Coliseum prompted the A's to play in Vegas temporarily. Now, as the team prepares for a more permanent change of scenery, it looks like history is rounding the bases once again. Despite the changes, don't expect any cult classics like the infamous "Moneyball" to be acted out on these temporary grounds – the A's and their fans are just looking for a smooth transition into their next chapter. With the team's record standing at 61-72 after a recent win against the Detroit Tigers, as recorded by The Nevada Independent, the focus remains not just on the future digs but also on the present grind of the game.
