The Athletics’ impending move to Las Vegas appears to have cost them their top baseball executive.
The Athletics announced Friday that they and longtime general David Forst have “mutually agreed” to part ways. Forst’s contract had been set to expire at the end of the season, but the two sides have opted to end their relationship early.
The Athletics announced that David Forst is out as GM. Assistant GM Dan Feinstein takes over on an interim basis for the remainder of the 2026 season. pic.twitter.com/jhjrmntn0H
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) August 7, 2026
After the announcement, it quickly emerged that Forst’s exit was not necessarily due to performance. Forst has indicated that he and his family are comfortable in California, and he was not eager to make the move to Las Vegas with the rest of the organization.
Re: David Forst's expiring contract, John Fisher said in June, "he and I need to sit down and work these things out." But there was already one known issue: relocation. Forst and his family are comfortable in California.
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) August 7, 2026
From March: https://t.co/HqhRF31W0p pic.twitter.com/DKSjsThVUC
Forst had been the Athletics’ general manager since 2015, when he succeeded Billy Beane in the role. He had been with the organization for 27 years, having started as a scout in 2000. The 50-year-old had largely continued his predecessor’s Moneyball philosophy, assembling solid cores of young talent but largely trading it away before the team has a chance to win with it.
The A’s are in their second of three scheduled seasons playing in Sacramento. They plan to move to Las Vegas in 2028 once their new ballpark is built there.
