MLB Rumors: Sacramento Is 'Front-Runner' to Host Athletics Before 2027 Las Vegas Move

Sacramento is reportedly the "front-runner" to host the Oakland Athletics from 2025 through 2027 before the organization officially moves to Las Vegas, according to Evan Drellich of The Athletic.

A decision is expected to be made "in weeks" rather than months, with a return to the Oakland Coliseum as well as a temporary move to Salt Lake City still on the table.

The Athletics' current lease with the Oakland Coliseum expires after the 2024 MLB season.

However, they met with the City of Oakland on Thursday regarding the possibility of the team remaining in the stadium through 2027.

Still, Sacramento appears to be the leading candidate to host the Athletics' home games until the move to Las Vegas is complete. MLB's owners voted unanimously to move the team on Nov. 16, although the lack of a suitable stadium in Las Vegas has led to executives searching for a temporary home throughout the offseason.

The Athletics' interest in Sacramento has been evident, as Mick Akers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal revealed that team owner John Fisher and president Dave Kaval visited Sutter Health Park on Jan. 18 for a tour of the ballpark. The Sacramento River Cats, the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, have called the stadium home since 2000.

Major League Baseball as well as the MLB Players Association must both approve of the short-term home before it can be finalized. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred acknowledged the difficultly in finding a new ballpark when speaking to reporters on Thursday.

"The reality of the situation is that whenever you're leaving a market where you've been for decades, and you're going to make a move to a different city where there's not a stadium, that's a really difficult undertaking, and it's not going to be seamless, smooth — there are going to be bumps along the road," Manfred said, per Drellich.

It appears that the Athletics are close to finding their future destination, though.