Chicago Cubs Wallop A's in Sacramento Opener

Mar 31, 2025; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics and Chicago Cubs line up before the game at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

WEST SACRAMENTO -- The day started with Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell telling the media pregame that he saw a River Cat, which was fitting because the game they were about to play against the A's in Sacramento was held at Sutter Health Park, the home of the Sacramento River Cats.

In pregame discussions with the A's players, they all said that they're trying to get their bearings, being in a new city, which they haven't spent much time in just yet. The team was in Arizona for Spring Training, and then started the regular season on the road in Seattle.

Once the first pitch was thrown by Joey Estes at 7:08 p.m. on a cold Sacramento evening, it appeared as though the A's were still trying to get their bearings.

The first five Cubs that Estes faced ended up putting four runs on the board, thanks to a walk, a double, a Seiya Suzuki sac-fly, and then back-to-back homers from Michael Busch and Dansby Swanson.

All offseason, the question about Sutter Health Park was how it would end up playing. The A's front office believes that it'll end up being a league average park.

Though as Athletics on SI recently wrote, with the new batter's eye, the previous metrics that showed Sutter Health to be a pitcher's park in the PCL could turn more hitter friendly at the minor-league level, which could have an impact on the A's season.

The Cubs ended up hanging 18 runs on the A's in a laugher, while the home team mustered three themselves. One of those came on Jacob Wilson's first MLB home run, which was also the first home run by an A's player in their new ballpark.

The highlights for the game were Carson Kelly going 4-for-4 with five RBI and three runs scored while hitting for the cycle. He also drew two walks, meaning he wasn't retired in any of his six trips to the plate. Not a bad day at the office.

There was also a drone delay, which is certainly unique. There was a drone flying around capturing video all night, and at a point late in the game it seemed to get caught up in the outfield and needed to be retrieved.

The highlight of the night for those rooting for the green and gold was when backup catcher Jhonny Pereda took the mound in the top of the ninth. After giving up a leadoff home run to Kyle Tucker, Pereda settled in a little. The fourth batter he faced was Cubs relief pitcher Colin Rea, whom he ended up striking out.

This is catcher Jhonny Pereda (pitcher) against pitcher Colin Rea (batter). pic.twitter.com/6TBm71PT02

— Jason Burke (@ByJasonB) April 1, 2025

The hardest pitch Pereda threw on the night was classified as a four-seamer, and it was clocked at 88.5 miles per hour. The slowest was deemed a curveball, which came in at 44.

Despite the game itself, the crowd was energetic, and filled with green and gold. There were even new chants of "Let's go Sac-to" and one brief "Sell the team!" echo in between innings.

Obviously this wasn't the home opener that the Athletics were hoping to put on for their new fans in Sacramento, but the beauty of baseball is that there will be another game tomorrow. The A's will have their ace, Luis Severino, on the mound, and he'll be opposed by Justin Steele.