The Oakland A’s played their final home game on Thursday afternoon and gave their fans one final win at the Oakland Coliseum.
They defeated the Texas Rangers, 3-2, ending the team’s 57-year run in Oakland.
All-Star closer Mason Miller got the save by getting Travis Jankowski to ground out to third baseman Max Schuemann.
Here is the play.
Nobody really knows what lies ahead for the A’s, as their relocation saga remains completely unsettled. Temporarily, the club is off to Sacramento for at least a couple of seasons to play in a minor league stadium, in a situation that nobody is happy about.
The ultimate end game is a more permanent relocation to Las Vegas, but even that still has hurdles to clear as it relates to a new stadium.
A’s fans packed the stadium and there were certainly very raw emotions throughout the day. There was one fan who ran on the field in the ninth inning, while several smoke bombs and objects thrown on the field briefly stopped play. There were also numerous “sell the team” chants that broke out.
The A’s entire exit from Oakland has been a gut-punch to the fans, from the way the roster has been gutted in recent years with no serious attempt to contend to owner John Fisher’s haphazard attempt to relocate the team.
Manager Mark Kotsay, who also spent several years as a player for the team, addressed the fans after the game.
The A’s will conclude their 2024 season this weekend with a three-game series on the road at the Seattle Mariners.
