Sam Fuld turned down the Athletics’ offer to become president of baseball operations, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Fuld will remain with the Philadelphia Phillies, where he currently serves as president of business operations, leaving the Athletics’ search for a new baseball operations leader without its apparent top choice.
The Main Development
The Athletics extended the offer to Fuld as they look to fill the position vacated when they fired general manager David Forst in August. Fuld declined and chose to stay in Philadelphia, where he has spent nearly a decade building his front office career. Nine names in total have been linked to the Athletics opening, and Fuld’s exit from consideration narrows that list as the team continues its search.
Fuld’s history with the Athletics organization runs deeper than the recent talks. He played his final major league season in Oakland in 2015 before transitioning into the Phillies’ front office two years later.
What It Means For The Athletics’ Search
With Fuld out of the picture, the Athletics’ timeline for hiring a new baseball operations chief may shift from the one-week window the club had targeted. Rob Cerfolio, the Cardinals’ assistant general manager, is expected to stay in St. Louis rather than pursue the job, while Taylor Smith, an assistant general manager with the Red Sox, remains a finalist. Other known candidates include former Nationals president of baseball operations Mike Rizzo, former Astros general manager James Click, Athletics assistant GM Billy Owens, Cubs assistant GM Jared Banner, Brewers assistant GM Matt Kleine and Red Sox assistant GM Mike Groopman.
Fuld’s Path With The Phillies
Fuld joined the Phillies organization in November 2017 and was promoted to general manager in December 2020. He stepped away in 2024 to pursue an MBA at Wharton, returning to the organization this year in his current role as president of business operations after completing his degree.
Preston Mattingly has served as the Phillies’ general manager under Dave Dombrowski over the past two seasons. Dombrowski, 70, is expected to receive another contract extension once his current deal expires after the 2027 season. Speculation has circulated that either Fuld or Mattingly is being groomed to eventually succeed Dombrowski, and one possibility is that the Phillies keep both executives in place to oversee separate sides of the organization.
Context: Why The Athletics Need A Pitching-Minded Executive
The Athletics have not reached the playoffs since 2020. The club finished 64-98 in 2026, placing fourth in the American League West as the Houston Astros won the division at 81-81. That record follows seasons of 50 wins in 2023 and 69 wins in 2024, then a 76-86 mark the year before that showed some improvement before last season’s step back.
The franchise, which moved from Oakland and has played its past two seasons in Sacramento, is set to open a new ballpark in Las Vegas for the 2028 season. According to Bleacher Report, the team’s pitching development remains a weak point, making the ability to acquire and develop arms a priority for whoever takes the job.
What’s Next
The Athletics had hoped to fill the president of baseball operations role within a week, though that timeline may now be adjusted following Fuld’s decision. Smith’s status as a finalist and the list of remaining candidates suggest the search will continue in the coming days.
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