The Athletics have announced their coaching staff for the 2026 campaign, and there was only one real big change in the bunch. The A’s are bringing back Ryan Christenson for the 2026 season, after he’d previously served with the club as the team’s bench coach from 2018-21 when Bob Melvin was the manager.
When Melvin left for San Diego with another A’s rebuild about to begin, Christenson went with Melvin and stayed with him for two years in San Diego, and then two more in San Francisco. Coming back to the A’s, he’ll be serving as the first base coach, while Bobby Crosby slides from first to third.
The actual position matters a little bit less year-to-year, as most of these guys have performed each of the roles in the dugout in their time with the club. Adding Christenson’s experience will be a nice touch for Kotsay and his staff.
The addition of Christenson does come with the departure of Eric Martins, who had been with the organization since 2007 when he joined as a scout. He’d stay in that role through 2014, and then in 2015 he became the hitting coach for the Midland RockHounds, before taking over that role in Triple-A from 2016-19.
Martins joined the A’s big-league staff in 2020 as an assistant hitting coach. In 2023 he became the third base coach, which is the role he held through the 2025 campaign. Below is the full press release sent out by the Athletics.
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Ryan Christenson will rejoin the A’s as first base coach and Bobby Crosby will take over as third base coach on manager Mark Kotsay’s coaching staff for the 2026 season, the club announced today.
Darren Bush remains bench coach and director of hitting, while Mike Aldrete and Chris Cron will continue to serve as hitting coaches. Scott Emerson returns as pitching coach, and Dan Hubbs returns as bullpen coach.
Marcus Jensen remains quality control coach, and Ramón Hernández will continue as Major League coach and interpreter. The A’s also announced the promotion of Josh Cuffe to director of strength and conditioning and the hiring of Terence Brannic as head strength and conditioning coach.
Christenson previously served as the A’s bench coach from 2018–21, as part of 16 seasons with the organization, including five years as a minor league manager and seven seasons as a player. From 2022–23, he served as bench coach for the San Diego Padres, and he held the same role with the San Francisco Giants from 2024–25.
The former outfielder was originally drafted by the A’s in the 10th round of the 1995 First-Year Player Draft out of Pepperdine University, and he played in parts of six Major League seasons with the A’s (1998–2001), Diamondbacks (2001), Brewers (2002), and Rangers (2003).
Brannic served as head strength and conditioning coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates for the last five seasons, following a nine-year stay in the A’s organization, including three seasons as assistant strength and conditioning coach with the Major League team from 2018–20.
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