The Abridged version:
- West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero, in her “state of the city” address, said the city is working on pursuing an MLB expansion team.
- More details about the pitch to include Sacramento in the league’s expansion will be announced Thursday, May 28.
- The Athletics plan to leave for Las Vegas in 2028.
West Sacramento is doubling down on its efforts to remain “the baseball side of the river” after the Athletics move to Las Vegas.
During Mayor Martha Guerrero’s “state of the city” speech Thursday, she confirmed that officials and community leaders are in “dialogue to consider” becoming the site of a Major League Baseball expansion team.
“West Sacramento is truly a baseball community ready for the national stage,” she said. “Stay tuned for that announcement next week.”
The announcement, planned for Thursday, May 28, is expected to include more specifics about the region’s effort to attract an MLB team, a city spokesperson said.
Temporary home for the A’s
One of West Sacramento’s selling points for a new MLB team is its role as temporary host for the A’s.
After decades in Oakland, the A’s announced plans to move to Las Vegas. With their new stadium on the Las Vegas Strip not slated to be ready until 2028, and their lease at the Oakland Coliseum ending in 2024, the team needed somewhere to play for the intervening years.
Leadership chose Sutter Health Park, the West Sacramento home of the minor-league Sacramento River Cats.
Last season, the A’s first year in Sacramento, was met with league-worst attendance numbers and a struggling relationship with fans.
But officials insist that the 2026 campaign has attracted more energy and buy in from local crowds.
“This season we have seen incredible excitement at Sutter Health Park with multiple sellout crowds and record attendance,” Guerrero said.
Competition
If West Sacramento officially announces its bid for an expansion team next week, it would be competing with a handful of other cities on the West Coast, including Salt Lake City and Portland. The selection process, which could take years, would come down to a host of factors, including financing, fanbase and stadium potential.
Sutter Health Park, which seats just over 14,000, is significantly smaller than most major league stadiums.
Daniel Hennessy joins Abridged from the California Local News Fellowship. He’s a reporter covering Yolo County.