San Francisco Giants fans were rightfully excited about the news this week of Bryce Eldridge’s promotion to Triple-A, elevating the club’s towering, power-hitting first base prospect within one step of the big leagues — and driving distance for most diehards.
Those hoping to get their first glimpse of the Giants’ top prospect in their backyard will have to wait — a side effect of the Sacramento River Cats’ arrangement to share Sutter Health Park with the major-league Athletics before their move to Las Vegas.
Eldridge, 20, joined the River Cats on the road and is already off to a hot start, reaching base three times in his first game and launching a grand slam the following night. He would be set to make his home season debut this Tuesday, except the series was moved before the season at MLB’s request.
“After careful consideration, Major League Baseball requested that the series be relocated to ensure the best possible natural grass playing surface conditions while hosting both the Athletics and River Cats at Sutter Health Park for the 2025 and future seasons,” according to a press release in January.
Rated the No. 20 prospect in baseball by MLB.com, Eldridge was promoted on Wednesday after batting .280 with seven home runs and an .862 OPS in 34 games for Double-A Richmond, but he won’t play his first home game until June 24. The River Cats would have come home following their series in Sugar Land, Texas, but instead will travel to Tacoma, Washington, and then to Salt Lake City before their next game at Sutter Health Park.
The teams are in the first of three seasons they plan to share the 25-year-old, 14,000-seat stadium. The park has been the exclusive home of the River Cats since it opened on the west bank of the Sacramento River in 2000, but the A’s left Oakland after last season and are calling the Triple-A ballpark their temporary home until 2027, when they plan to move to Las Vegas.
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The A’s are 14-18 away from home but only 10-22 in West Sacramento — a worse home record than any team but the Rockies — while their manager and marquee free agent signing have complained about the inconvenient location of the makeshift clubhouse behind the outfield walls and the limited sightlines from their dugout.
It has at least been a novel experience for fans, who get to see major-league baseball in an intimate environment (though the A’s have drawn more than 11,000 only four times — their home opener and three dates with the Yankees). Now, Giants fans will be able to get an up-close look at Eldridge, whose 6-foot-7 frame should only stand out more in a setting much smaller than Oracle Park. Well, soon.
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