The Athletics have been an afterthought in Oakland for the last few years. It has been a while since they were competitive, going on four consecutive seasons without making the postseason. But the vibes around the Athletics heading into this season are as high as they have been. Part of that is due to their changing locations.
The Athletics are set to play the 2025 season at their new location in Sacramento. That will be their home until 2028 when they move to Las Vegas full-time.
Athletics Value Has Major Increase
According to Forbes, the most significant increase in value from last year to this year is the Athletics. Their valuation is up 50% to $1.8 billion. The optimism for the Athletics is as high as ever due to the new stadium they are set to have in Las Vegas in 2028. Season ticket purchases for 2025 have increased, which should continue to rise as they become more popular.
The Athletics have forever been one of the smaller-market teams in baseball. They struggled to build a competitive roster each season, hoping to keep a low payroll. Remember, this franchise started the “Moneyball” way of roster-building. They look for cheap players who can fill a positive role on their team in hopes of winning games.
Yet, it would not be surprising to see the Athletics change their roster-building approach. This offseason, they signed starting pitcher Luis Severino to a three-year, $67 million contract. That is a deal the “Old Athletics” would never go for, but it was clear they wanted to make a statement heading into a new city for the 2025 season.
Another major deal they signed was extending outfielder Lawrence Butler. He agreed to a seven-year, $65.5 million extension. Many thought their deal was surprising as Butler does not have much of a track record in his career. He had a tremendous second half last season, but the underlying metrics suggest he should be in for a monster season in 2025. Getting Butler signed early could end up saving them some money if he continues on the trajectory he is on.
Athletics Back In Contention
The more teams willing to spend money to improve their rosters, the better MLB will be. The Athletics appear to be a team that could become a big market spender once they officially move to Las Vegas. As the first MLB team in Las Vegas, you can bet they will have significant revenue and much more money to spend on their roster.
The Athletics already have a nice core with Butler, Brent Rooker, Mason Miller, and Shea Langeliers. This team won 69 games last season and should be in line for an increase in 2025. While the Athletics may not be playoff contenders in 2025, they should continue to trend up in the coming seasons.
- Source: NEWHD MEDIA
