A’s calling Vegas home, only this weekend for now

The Oakland Athletics are calling Las Vegas home ... for this weekend.

The A’s sent a split-squad of players to Las Vegas for two games against Cincinnati as part of “Big League Weekend.” The games are being played at Las Vegas Ballpark, the home of Oakland’s Triple-A affiliate, the Aviators.

The two-day visit to Sin City comes with the continued conversation that Las Vegas could become a permanent home for the A’s in the future if the lengthy, ongoing search for a stadium solution in the Bay Area doesn’t materialize soon.

The A’s lease at RingCentral Coliseum expires after the 2024 season, and though they might be forced to extend the terms, the club and Major League Baseball have deemed the stadium unsuitable for a professional franchise.

The A’s have spent years trying to develop a stadium solution in the Bay Area, but missed a major deadline last October for getting a deal done in Oakland for a new stadium development. That has raised the specter of Las Vegas becoming the future home of the A’s, but there are concerns with the amount of funding the baseball team could receive for a new stadium in Nevada.

ON THE BENCH

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Ronnie Gajownik was going to be his bench coach for Saturday’s game against the San Diego Padres as she prepares for her first managing job.

Gajownik, 29, was hired during the offseason as manager of the D-backs’ minor league affiliate Hillsboro Hops. She’ll be the first woman to manage a minor league Class High-A team.

“I told her we’re just going to sit down, talk baseball for nine innings and let’s have some fun with it,” Lovullo said. “I said, ‘You think I’m going to be teaching you things, but you’re going to be teaching me things as well.’ I’m just appreciating my time with her. She’s a spectacular teacher and can relate with

the players very well.”

VLAD OUT

Toronto slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. withdrew from playing for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic due to inflammation in his right knee.

Toronto manager John Schneider said that an MRI showed no structural damage in Guerrero’s right knee a day after he left the Blue Jays’ spring training game with discomfort in the knee after taking some awkward steps into second base following a hit.

INJURED AGAIN

Red Sox left-hander James Paxton has a grade 1 strain of his right hamstring and seems unlikely to be on the opening day roster for Boston. Paxton left his outing on Friday after 1.2 innings after feeling discomfort in his leg. Manager Alex Cora said it’s unclear how long Paxton will be shut down, but the injury is the least severe possible strain.

Friday’s outing was Paxton’s first in a game in nearly two years.

SATURDAY HIGHLIGHTS

Jordan Walker, the top prospect in the St. Louis system, continued to flash his raw power at the plate with two homers in the Cardinals’ 9-6 win over the Nationals. Walker is hitting .500 with three homers and a 1.667 OPS this spring . ... The adventures of Fernando Tatis Jr. in right field continued for the Padres. Tatis made a fine sliding catch against the Diamondbacks, a better result than a couple days earlier when he dropped a flyball for an error. Tatis is switching to the outfield after San Diego signed Xander Bogaerts to play shortstop.

TRANSACTIONS

Texas signed LHP Will Smith to a $1.5 million, one-year deal. The 33-year-old was 0-3 with a 3.97 ERA and five saves in 65 relief appearances last year for Atlanta and Houston . ... Colorado agreed to terms with LHP Brad Hand on a one-year deal. Hand was 3-2 with a 2.80 ERA and five saves in 55 appearances for the Phillies last season.