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Oakland A’s could be taking Las Vegas for a test drive

By David Hill

DENVER, CO - JULY 29: An Oakland Athletics player's hat and glove rests in the dugout during interleague play between the Colorado Rockies and the Oakland Athletics at Coors Field on July 29, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - JULY 29: An Oakland Athletics player's hat and glove rests in the dugout during interleague play between the Colorado Rockies and the Oakland Athletics at Coors Field on July 29, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /
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There is nothing unusual about a major league team playing an exhibition in a minor league park before the regular season. It is a chance for fans in a different area to see those players, and a final tune-up before the season begins in earnest. Sometimes, it is a final chance for a player to make the Opening Day roster. For the Oakland A’s, the upcoming exhibition series could be something else entirely.

On the surface, there is nothing to see with the A’s facing the Guardians on March 12 and 13, 2022. It is just a weekend series at the A’s Triple-A park, a place where they also played in six previous seasons, including 2020.

Oakland A’s taking Las Vegas for a test drive?

This time may be different. The A’s have been flirting with Las Vegas as a possible landing site should their long desired Howard Terminal Project not come together. While there has been some progress towards that new ballpark happening, the A’s have also taken the opportunity to explore relocation.

Holding a series in Las Vegas can be a bit of test drive for ownership. Chances are, nothing will be resolved in terms of whether or not the A’s will get their new ballpark before that weekend series takes place. The A’s can see how Las Vegas reacts now that they know the team could be heading to the desert.

Chances are, this series is just what it has always been – a chance to give fans in a minor league city an opportunity to see a few major league players. But this time, there may be more at stake. The A’s are looking for a new ballpark, and if the fans in Las Vegas can make Las Vegas Ballpark feel like home, a change in scenery could be coming.

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The Oakland A’s are heading to Las Vegas for two games in March. While it is just a spring training exhibition, it could also be a test drive for a new home.