A's fall to Reds in Oakland as frustrated fans chant 'Sell the team'
OAKLAND -- Just 6,423 fans showed up for the Athletics' first home game since announcing a deal for land to build a ballpark in Las Vegas, many chanting "Sell the team!" and "Stay in Oakland!" during an 11-7 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night.
Unable to make progress on a new ballpark in the Bay Area and wanting to make plans as the expiration of their Oakland Coliseum lease approaches at the end of the 2024 season, the team announced April 19 that it had signed a binding agreement to purchase land for a new retractable roof ballpark in Las Vegas.
The A's, led by owner John Fisher, intend to work with Nevada and Clark County on a public-private partnership to fund the stadium. They hope to break ground by next year and move to their new home by 2027.
Oakland councilmember Dan Kalb says that, if the deal doesn't work out with Vegas, the deal is still on the table to stay in Oakland.
"If the people of Las Vegas don't want to be swindled or hoodwinked into a bad deal, then the A's might come back to Oakland and what we have to offer," Kalb said, adding: "There's more than a zero percent chance that they could still stay in Oakland but it's looking slimmer and slimmer as every week goes by."
Fans in the right-field stands brought multiple banners of "Sell" and "Fisher Out." Those same fans also wore Kelly green shirts with "Sell" written on them and began to walk around the stadium chanting "Sell the team!" throughout.
Curt Silver with Oakland Forever told KPIX "Nothing is set in stone right now so it's something that's really important for fans to understand that it's not that we ran out of time. The time is now to organize, protest."
The crowd was the A's sixth under 10,000 in 13 home games. Oakland entered the homestand averaging a major league-low 11,027.
Nick Senzel had three RBIs and Jake Fraley hit a two-run homer for the Reds, who have won four in a row for the first time since last July 30 to Aug. 2.
Luis Cessa (1-3) gave up three runs and eight hits in five-plus innings, winning for the first time in five starts this year.
Drew Rucinski (0-1) was activated from the injured list and made his Oakland debut. He gave up five runs — three earned — and 11 hits in 5 2/3 innings.
The 34-year-old left-hander made his first big league appearance since 2018 after spending four seasons with South Korea's NC Dinos. Rucinski signed with Oakland for a $3 million, one-year contract, then strained his left hamstring late in spring training
Shea Langeliers had three RBIs for Oakland, including a run-scoring single in the first.
Senzel's RBI single and Jose Barrero's two-run double built a 3-1 lead in the third, and Fraley hit a two-run homer in the fourth, a 419-foot drive.
Oakland's Brent Rooker had three hits and Ryan Noda hit his third home run.
The A's currently have the worst record in baseball but the fans plan to follow the example of the players on the field: "Keep fighting," Silver said. "That's the most important part. Keep fighting."
UP NEXT
RHP Hunter Greene (0-1) starts Saturday for the Reds and LHP Kyle Muller (0-2) for the A's.
Andrea Nakano contributed to this report
