Taylor Smith was confirmed Monday as Oakland’s president of baseball operations. Owner John Fisher hinted a general manager could soon join as the second‑in‑command.
That two‑tier model is spreading across MLB. Oakland tried it when Billy Beane and David Forst shared top duties, but after Beane shifted to an advisory role in late 2022, Forst ran the office solo for three and a half seasons. Fisher acted in early August, fearing a fifth consecutive losing year. For my money, the dual‑leadership experiment was overdue.
A GM hire won’t trigger a managerial shake‑up. In February 2025, the A’s extended skipper Mark Kotsay through 2028 with a 2029 option. Smith praised the six‑year manager, saying Kotsay “looks hungry for any info the front office provides, and I think it’ll be a great partnership.”