A’s calling Vegas home, but only this weekend
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.
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said last month that while the door isn't being closed on Oakland, most of the focus of late by A's owner John Fischer has been on possible solutions in Las Vegas.
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.
The 29-year-old Gajownik 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."
Rachel Balkovec became the first woman to manage a professional baseball team last year when she led the New York Yankees' Class A Tampa Tarpons.
Gajownik was a two-year starter on South Florida's softball team and also won a gold medal with the United States in the 2015 Pan American Games.
"Her work ethic and attention to detail has made her a good coach and will also make her a good manager," Lovullo said.
Vlad out
Toronto slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. withdrew from playing for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic on Saturday 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.
Paxton 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 2/3 innings after feeling discomfort in his leg. Manager Alex Cora said Saturday 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. Paxton missed nearly the entire 2021 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery while pitching for Seattle. Paxton made one start and threw 1 1/3 innings the entire 2021 season. He signed with Boston before last season but spent the entire year on the injured list with a series of setbacks while recovering from the elbow surgery.