As the Oakland A’s moving the Coliseum after a remarkable 56-year tenure, questions loom over their future home in West Sacramento. The team is set to play at Sutter Health Park, the Triple-A ballpark with a capacity of 14,000, for the next three seasons while sharing the venue with the Sacramento River Cats. This move is part of the A’s plan to build a new stadium on the Las Vegas Strip.
Currently, the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) is in ongoing discussions with A’s ownership and league officials to ensure that the conditions for players at Sutter Health Park meet Major League standards. While renovations, including the installation of synthetic turf, are in progress, no formal agreement has been reached between the MLB and the union regarding these improvements. As of Thursday, the A’s are just 186 days away from their home opener against the Chicago Cubs, scheduled for March 31, 2025.
A’s second baseman Zack Gelof, who serves as the team’s union representative, emphasized the responsibility of the team ownership to complete the necessary upgrades while highlighting the MLBPA’s role in ensuring standards are met. “I think it’s just on our ownership to get it done, and I think it’s on players in the MLBPA to make sure it’s up to a certain standard. Thus far, it has been,” Gelof stated.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the move, Gelof confirmed that the MLBPA cannot veto the A’s transition to West Sacramento, aligning with the league’s earlier statement that the move is “a certainty.” He expressed limited knowledge about the progress of the renovations, noting that the team is focused on the current season.
Infielder Nick Allen, who recently played at Sutter Health Park, echoed Gelof’s sentiments, remarking that substantial work remains to bring the ballpark up to Major League standards. “In my opinion, they’ve got a long way to go to make it big league-like,” Allen stated. He highlighted that with the River Cats’ season concluding, now is the time for renovations to begin in earnest.
Renovations already underway include a new A’s clubhouse beyond the left field wall, upgrades to the visiting clubhouse for both the A’s and River Cats, enhanced weight rooms and batting cages, a new scoreboard, a 20-seat press box, improved lighting, and a Hawk-Eye tracking system—standard in Major League stadiums. Additionally, the River Cats have announced upgrades to their premium ticket holder areas.
As the A’s reflect on their departure from Oakland, the sentiment among players is palpable. Outfielder Brent Rooker, an All-Star in 2023, expressed his emotions as the team approaches its final games at the Coliseum. “It’s emotional in a lot of ways. The stadium’s special to me. It’s played a huge part in my career and the lives of my family,” Rooker shared, marking the bittersweet end to an era.
