Kevin Pillar safely caught the ball for the final out, and teammate Jo Adell suggested he should consider keeping it.
It could serve as a special keepsake from the Los Angeles Angels’ last planned game in Oakland. Pillar quickly decided it should go to manager Ron Washington, a longtime coach for the Athletics at third base and in the infield, who has strong ties to the team and the city.
Washington’s Angels came from behind to defeat the A’s 8-5 on Sunday at the Coliseum. Oakland is in its final season there before spending at least three years in Sacramento and then moving to Las Vegas for the 2028 season.
“It was the last chance to do something positive in this ballpark on my side, and my team pulled it off and got the win,” Washington said.
“When he handed me that ball, it was a wonderful surprise and brought me joy. I wrote on it, ‘last out of my last game managing in the Coliseum.’ It meant a lot to me.”
The Angels also celebrated their 5,000th franchise victory in the same venue where they clinched the AL West titles in 2004 and 2005.
As an A’s coach, Washington used to arrive early and help train some of baseball’s finest infielders by throwing short-hop grounders from his knees. “I feel a strong connection because this is where everything began,” said Washington, who is 72 years old.
From players like Jason Giambi, Miguel Tejada, Eric Chavez, and Mark Ellis to more recent stars like Marcus Semien, Washington played a role in their development both on and off the field. He noted, “Mark McGwire, I helped turn him into a great leader.”
Chavez once gave Washington one of his six consecutive Gold Glove awards from 2001 to 2006.
“I’ve seen many young kids come through here and develop. I’ve seen many players that the industry thought were done come here and thrive, earning bigger contracts for their careers,” Washington said. “…
The tradition here in Oakland, I’ve seen it passed down over the years. I’ve had a wonderful 17 years here.”
