Progress on new A’s park has Manfred hopeful

SAN FRANCISCO — Major League Baseball’s ongoing support of the Athletics’ effort to build a new stadium remains a top priority for Commissioner Rob Manfred.

Speaking with reporters before Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Monday night (airing on FS1; Cubs lead, 2-0), Manfred said that he has spent more time working on the A’s stadium situation that any other issue related to one franchise in his nearly two years as Commissioner. He was wearing a smile when he arrived to the news conference at AT&T Park.

“Well, this trip to San Francisco’s now officially worthwhile,” Manfred said. “I just got to spend five minutes with Willie Mays, so the rest of it is all gravy.”

MLB has been supporting the work of the owners of the A’s and Tampa Bay Rays on stadium efforts for years. Manfred has said that MLB is open to considering expansion but won’t pursue it until resolving those two teams’ stadium situations.

Oakland’s effort is affected by the fact that the A’s share the Coliseum with the NFL’s Raiders, who are also seeking a new stadium.

Manfred reaffirmed MLB’s desire for the A’s to find a new stadium in Oakland instead of another location in the Bay Area. Manfred said he has been engaged in dialogue with Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf about a variety of possibilities.

“I am hopeful that in relatively short order we will start to have news about how this is going to proceed,” Manfred said. “I talked to the mayor of Oakland last week. She seems very committed to the idea of keeping baseball in Oakland. That’s a huge positive for us.”

Manfred told reporters that Schaaf told him “repeatedly” she’d prefer baseball over football if the market could support only one new stadium.

“I know that the one thing I will say to you is the mayor in Oakland has made clear to me that baseball is her first priority,” Manfred said. “She would like …

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