The Athletics and longtime general manager David Forst "have mutually agreed to part ways," the team announced Friday, ending his three-decade run with the franchise.
The announcement comes less than two years before the A's are expected to move from Sacramento, California, to Las Vegas and less than one year after Forst and ownership agreed on a new contract. Assistant GM Dan Feinstein will take over on an interim basis as the team begins its search for Forst's replacement.
Forst, who joined the organization as a scout in 2000 and was elevated to head of baseball operations in 2015 succeeding Billy Beane, was long expected to shepherd the A's three-year transition from Oakland to Las Vegas. But the team has taken a significant step back this year and is sitting at 45-70 with a minus-157 run differential. Forst was never planning to move to Vegas with the team, according to sources, though it's unclear how much of a role that played in his departure.
"David has been an integral part of the A's and our success for nearly three decades," A's owner John Fisher said in a statement. "His leadership, dedication and commitment to this team have helped shape our baseball-operations department and position us for the future. We are grateful for everything David has done for our organization."
Forst, 50, arrived with the A's just as their "Moneyball" era was taking off and went on to serve as assistant GM for 12 years before his promotion. His 27-year stint with the organization was defined by constant teardowns prompted by an inability to retain homegrown players as they aged into more expensive contracts.
Forst built three consecutive playoff teams from 2018 to 2020, then traded away Jesus Luzardo, Matt Chapman, Matt Olson, Sean Manaea, Chris Bassitt and Sean Murphy over the following two years in hopes of building the next playoff contender -- all while a contentious move from Oakland hovered overhead.
The A's began their three-year stopgap residency in Sacramento in 2025, and Forst's goal was to build a contender by the time the franchise debuts in Vegas. The offense quickly began to look promising, with Nick Kurtz, Jacob Wilson, Brent Rooker, Lawrence Butler, Shea Langeliers and Tyler Soderstrom emerging. Of that group, Rooker, Butler, Soderstrom and Wilson have signed extensions.
The pitching, though, has been a mixed bag. J.T. Ginn and Gage Jump have taken steps forward this season, but outside acquisitions such as Jeffrey Springs and Luis Severino have not necessarily panned out. The A's increased their win total from 69 to 76 from 2024 to 2025 but are on a 63-win pace this year.
In a statement, Forst said: "It was truly an honor to spend the last 27 years with the A's, especially the last 11 as the GM. This organization is full of incredibly talented, devoted and good people, and I am lucky to have worked alongside them for so long."