Two MLB teams' 2025 seasons will look quite different from their previous campaigns. The Tampa Bay Rays and the Athletics will move to nearby minor league ballparks for vastly different reasons.
After 56 seasons, the A's will leave Oakland and move 81 miles northeast to Sacramento. They will call Sutter Health Park their home for the next three seasons while they await the completion of their Las Vegas stadium for the 2028 season.
Renderings of the A's new $1.5B stadium in Las Vegas have been released 👀
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 5, 2024
(via @Athletics) pic.twitter.com/C1lTBRdhJU
Team owner John Fisher bought the team in 2005, but his penny-pinching ways and unwillingness to invest in the team's facilities have alienated him from the fanbase.
There seemed to be a deal close to completion that would have kept the Athletics in Oakland by building a 35,000-seat ballpark at the Howard Terminal, but Fisher abruptly changed gears, flipping to the Las Vegas move. Oakland city officials and the A's ownership point fingers at each other about why the deal fell apart.
So, now, the A's will share Sutter Health Park with the San Francisco Giants' Triple-A affiliate, the Sacramento River Cats. This ballpark's dimensions are similar to those of the Oakland Coliseum.
Dimension | Sutter Health Park | Oakland Coliseum |
|---|---|---|
Left Field | 330 feet | 330 feet |
Center Field | 403 feet | 400 feet |
Right Field | 325 feet | 330 feet |
Seating Capacity | 14,014 | 46,847 |
Though the dimensions are similar, the big difference is the seating capacity. However, during the 2024 season, the Athletics ranked last in average attendance with only 11,528. The River Cats averaged 6,438 fans during this span at their home games. It will be interesting to see if attendance will boost when the least popular MLB team is in town.
Sutter Health Park has renovations planned to accommodate an MLB team using it as its home field. Some of the upgrades being discussed are:
- Using natural grass on the playing field instead of synthetic turf
- Building a two-story clubhouse that includes a weight room, locker room, gym, training room, coaches' offices, batting cages, kitchen, and dining room
- Expanding dugouts and bullpens
- Creating a new batter's eye allows more television angles and hitter visibility
The Tampa Bay Rays' decision to move is for a far more drastic reason. On October 9, Hurricane Milton tore the roof off of Tropicana Field. Luckily, the team has a closer option than the A's when finding a replacement field.
From @TheAthletic: Tropicana Field, home to the Tampa Bay Rays, sustained significant damage to its roof as Hurricane Milton descended upon St. Petersburg, Florida, and the surrounding area. It was built to withstand winds of up to 115 miles per hour. pic.twitter.com/qlZUAzIFT3
— The New York Times (@nytimes) October 10, 2024
George Steinbrenner Field, 21 miles from Tropicana Field, is the best-prepared facility in the Tampa Bay area to host MLB games. It will be the Rays' new home in 2025 and continue to be the home of the New York Yankees' A-ball affiliate, the Tampa Tarpons.
If the city of St. Petersburg decides not to repair the roof, this may be a multi-year move because there are discussions for a $1.3 billion new ballpark project that would open in 2028. However, the Pinellas County Commission has postponed a vote regarding the bonds that would go toward funding the ballpark.
George Steinbrenner Field has the exact dimensions of Yankee Stadium and is very similar to Tropicana Field.
Dimension | George Steinbrenner Field | Tropicana Field |
|---|---|---|
Left Field | 318 feet | 315 feet |
Center Field | 408 feet | 404 feet |
Right Field | 314 feet | 322 feet |
Seating Capacity | 11,026 | 45,000 |
Though there is a big difference in seating capacity, the Rays have also struggled to fill out their ballpark with fans. They ranked 28th in 2024 for average attendance with 16,515, though that figure would exceed the capacity for George Steinbrenner Field. It's difficult to say how the move will impact attendance for Rays games, as the team will now be playing its home contests in Tampa Bay for the first time (Tropicana Field is located in St. Petersburg).
The minor league field has already begun renovations to upgrade the facility. These renovations include upgrades to the clubhouse, on-field lighting, and training and recovery areas.
Moving two MLB baseball teams into minor league ballparks is not ideal for players and fans. Though renovations are being discussed, and some are already underway, this is not a good look for the MLB.
Although the Athletics and Rays are not known for being big spenders during the offseason, the new facility situations will not entice free agents. They must leave their comfort zones and offer more money to compensate for the lack of facilities to field a competitive team in the next few seasons.