5 things on new Athletics head of baseball ops Taylor Smith’s to-do list

The Athletics announced today that Taylor Smith has been hired as president of baseball operations, a decision made two months after the club indicated that longtime general manager David Forst would not be returning for the next season. The move is intended to bolster the organization during its final campaign in West Sacramento, California, and to position the franchise ahead of its planned relocation to Las Vegas for the 2028 season. Smith previously spent two seasons as an assistant general manager with the Boston Red Sox and accumulated seven years of experience with the Tampa Bay Rays. Oakland finished the current year with a 64‑98 record, fielding a young roster in its second season at a Triple‑A facility in West Sacramento while assistant general manager Dan Feinstein served as interim GM. Forst had held the general manager role since 2015 and had been part of the Athletics organization since 2000, according to sources cited by the Las Vegas Sun. Read the full story at Las Vegas Review-Journal →