Sinking revenue forces the club to lay off employees

A wave of layoffs are sweeping Major League Baseball this offseason because of the pandemic’s impact on revenues. The Oakland A’s are part of the wave, with employees losing jobs on both the business and baseball operations side of the organization.

Commissioner Rob Manfred tabbed MLB’s debt from the pandemic at $8.3 billion Monday.

A source said approximately 20% of employees were impacted across baseball and business operations, nearly all of which came from the pool of 150 employees that were furloughed in April of this year. Those impacted were set to return when the furlough was lifted on Oct. 31, but they were informed their positions would not be there for them at the year’s end.

Because of uncertainty revolving around the Oakland Coliseum’s permitted fan capacity in 2021, approximately 60 people were laid off from within the ticket sales and marketing divisions. Twenty of the 150 people furloughed in April left on their own terms. But employees that stuck around found out Friday they’d lost their jobs.

“The Oakland A’s have completed a reorganization of full-time staff and informed a number of employees that at the end of the year they will no longer have a position with the Club,” the A’s said in a statement Friday.

Most of the baseball operations jobs initially furloughed will be refilled and most scouts returned to work during the 2020 season when scouting restrictions were lifted. However, sources say approximately 10 people in scouting and player development will not return to their posts for next season. Some didn’t have their contracts renewed, others accepted retirement packages.

Al Pedrique’s removal as manager Bob Melvin’s third base coach is not included in those layoffs.

All eyes will be on California’s Department of Public Health, which lifted restrictions mid- October to allow pro sports teams to begin selling a limited number of tickets at open air stadiums. If restrictions remain lifted into next spring, the A’s would need to get clearance from Alameda County to host a specific number of fans in 2021.