Athletics Identified Candidates for General Manager
The Oakland Athletics are looking to fill their general manager vacancy this week after firing David Forst.
Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Baseball
Live Poll
Do you trust your local professional sports team to make the right decisions for its future?
The Oakland Athletics have narrowed their general manager search to Sam Fuld and Jared Banner. The organization intends to finalize the hire this week to replace the role left vacant since August 2026.
Why it matters
The team aims to stabilize leadership as it navigates a six-season playoff drought and prepares for its upcoming relocation to Las Vegas in 2027.
The franchise has missed the playoffs for six consecutive seasons and finished fourth or worse in their division for five of those years. The search process previously evaluated five other candidates before identifying the current finalists.
The players
Sam Fuld
He is a former professional baseball player who previously played for the Oakland Athletics and is currently the general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies.
Jared Banner
He is the current assistant general manager for the Chicago Cubs who previously worked in the New York Mets organization where he helped develop Pete Crow-Armstrong.
David Forst
He joined the Oakland Athletics organization in 2000 and served as the general manager until his firing in August 2026.
Dan Feinstein
He is the assistant general manager who has been serving as the interim general manager for the Oakland Athletics.
The details
Sam Fuld, a former Athletics player who currently serves as the Philadelphia Phillies general manager, joins Chicago Cubs assistant general manager Jared Banner as the primary contenders. The organization has relied on interim general manager Dan Feinstein since the August 2026 departure of David Forst.
Timeline
David Forst was fired as general manager in August 2026.
Sam Fuld became Phillies general manager in 2021.
Jared Banner joined the Chicago Cubs in 2020 and was promoted to assistant general manager in 2023.
Fuld and Banner were identified as the leading candidates on October 7, 2026.
The Athletics expect to fill the general manager vacancy this week.
Season Trajectory
This front office hire serves as the final phase in rebuilding the leadership team before the franchise completes its transition to Las Vegas after the 2027 season. The selection of a new general manager is intended to reverse a decade-long period of missing the postseason.
The new general manager will inherit a roster that has failed to reach the playoffs for six consecutive years, requiring immediate decisions on personnel development and long-term rebuilding. This hire will dictate the strategy for the team's final seasons in Oakland at Sutter Health Park.
The takeaway
The Athletics are prioritizing experienced front office talent to break a cycle of divisional underperformance. Fans should expect the new hire to immediately focus on restructuring the roster ahead of the team's relocation.
What happens next
The Oakland Athletics are expected to officially announce their new general manager by the end of this week.
Further reading
For more updates on the team's transition, visit the Oakland Baseball section.
Live Poll
Do you trust your local professional sports team to make the right decisions for its future?
