The Athletics began the process of a controversial and very messy move to Las Vegas in 2025, making their intentions clear after playing 57 seasons in Oakland.
The Athletics decided to leave Oakland despite the new stadium they hope to construct in Las Vegas not projected to be completed until 2028. In the meantime, the Athletics are playing at Sutter Health Park — a Minor League stadium — in Sacramento for the next three seasons.
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That target date has not changed despite the fact that ground has yet to break on the Las Vegas baseball stadium site.
“I don’t think the timeline has changed,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred recently said. “I talked to (A’s owner) John (Fisher) last week, believe that we’re going to be on time to go in 2028.”
Not only is a Major League team playing in a Minor League ballpark, but the Athletics also are sharing Sutter Health Park with the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants and the stadium’s only previous occupant.
“It was really a positive day,” Manfred said of a recent visit to Sutter Health Park. “I’m glad I took the time to do it before Opening Day. I think the level of excitement in the community is really palpable, I think their desire to have Major League Baseball in the short term and long term is really impressive.
“I think the owners of the River Cats and owners of the A’s have worked very hard together to make sure that for our players it is as close to a Major League experience as it can possibly be. There is a lot of investing that was done in facilities that you would not have done otherwise.
“The ballpark is charming. I do think fans are going to have an opportunity to see Major League Baseball all season long in an intimate environment and I’m hopeful the whole year is going to be positive for us.”
While Manfred indicated there was plenty of local support for the A’s in Sacramento, that’s yet to consistently be the case since playing their home opener, which was a lopsided loss to the Chicago Cubs.
Rays, Athletics playing in Minor League stadium
The Athletics are not the only MLB team playing home games at a Minor League stadium for the 2025 season, as the Tampa Bay Rays have taken over New York Yankees’ Spring Training home after Tropicana Field was significantly damaged by Hurricane Milton.
Because of MLB’s balanced schedule format that was re-introduced in 2023, the Dodgers are going to play series at George M. Steinbrenner Field from Aug. 1-3.
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