Former Padres in Sacramento, Mark Kotsay agrees to manage Athletics until 2028 while Luis Urias signs deal

The soon to be Sacramento Athletic's have just announced a contract extension with current manager Mark Kotsay until the 2028 season. The three-year extension comes off the heels of a rough first three years under Kotsay, but the situation with the Athletics ownership should grant any manager in that role some leniency. A member of the San Diego Padres from '01 to '03 and again for the '12 and '13 seasons, Kotsay is the 4th active manager to have played with San Diego, along with Will Veneable of the White Sox, Bruce Bochy of the Rangers, and Dave Roberts of the Dodgers.

Now playing their games at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento until the completion of the new stadium in Las Vegas, Kotsay will look to turn the A's around from a forgettable three straight seasons. A surprise two-year, $67 million deal with Luis Severino in early December adds to a rotation that could use a major boost, but the bulk of the roster has them at 24th in the MLB's first power rankings of 2025.

In more Padres connections to the A's, former highly touted prospect for San Diego and seven-year veteran infielder Luis Urias has agreed to a one-year contract. Playing 12 games for San Diego in 2018 and 71 games in 2019, Urias was traded in November of 2019 to the Milwaukee Brewers along with Eric Lauer for Trent Grisham and Zach Davies.

Urias struggled in his time with the Padres, putting up just a .649 OPS over 83 games. After joining the Brewers for the 2020 season, Urias was traded before the 2023 deadline to the Red Sox. His time in Boston would be short lived, appearing in just 32 games before being traded to the Mariners before the 2024 season.

Now with the A's, Urias adds to an infield with the A's that has already added former Yankees man Gio Urshela on a one year deal. The team however could still use some major help, but exciting young players like the on-base threat Esteury Ruiz, power hitting outfielders Lawrence Butler and Brent Rooker, and one of the league's hardest throwing closers in Mason Miller keeps them watchable.