Rob Manfred Says A's Potential Postseason Games Aren't Likely to be in Sacramento
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Back in September, Athletics on SI reported that there was no guarantee that the A's would play any potential postseason games at their temporary ballpark, Sutter Health Park, in West Sacramento.
The statement from the Athletics at the time reads, ""“Home” postseason games are not guaranteed to be played at Sutter Health Park. In the event a “home” postseason game occurs at an alternate location, A’s season ticket holders will have priority purchase access for tickets."
We also mentioned that in fairness to the A's, it just said that there was no guarantee that they'd happen in Sacramento, not that they wouldn't.
Turns out MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred doesn't think there will be many, if any, postseason games played in the A's new home, as he told Chris Russo earlier this week.
Could the @Athletics host a playoff game in their 10,000 seat temporary home in Sacramento?
— Mad Dog Sports Radio (@MadDogRadio) March 27, 2025
Rob Manfred: "I don't think we'd play the World Series in Sacramento... but maybe a round. We'll see."
Hear the full interview with @MadDogUnleashed⤵️https://t.co/4zP6LJ3Ydb pic.twitter.com/qYx0HbmjrE
"I don't think we play the World Series in Sacramento" Manfred said with a chuckle. "I know for sure we're not gonna. But maybe a round. We'll see. We haven't decided about that."
Manfred makes it seem as though some preliminary discussions are underway about potential plans for where the A's would play those potential postseason games, but that it would depend upon a couple of things.
The first, and most obvious, is the A's making the postseason in the first place, which would necessitate a decision being made. The second, and this is an assumption, is whether or not the San Francisco Giants are in contention and whether their ballpark could be used as a home for an A's postseason run.
Some will argue that the League would have the A's change venues because it would be an embarrassment for them to have postseason baseball in a minor-league facility. While that may be part of the equation, the larger piece is likely due to the revenue that would be lost.
Sutter Health Park only holds 14,000 fans, and that's including the lawn seats in right field. Oracle Park has a capacity of 42,300. The owners all get a cut of the postseason gate revenue, so capping that at 14,000 fans is not something that the owners would go for. That would be the driving force for the change.
It would also be important to make sure that postseason media could be accommodated, which would be tricky, if not impossible, in Sacramento.
For this to matter at all, the A's will not only have to make the postseason, but also host a postseason series. That would either mean winning the AL West, or being the top-ranked Wild Card seed (No. 4 overall) for the first round. If the A's advanced in the postseason, another tall task in recent decades, then they would get a home game.
Though at that point, the question would again turn to: Where?
The likely answer is Oracle Park, if the Giants aren't playing in October. It's tough to envision the Oakland Coliseum being on the table after how the club left, and the potential for the fans to use this event as another piece of the "Sell" movement, broadcast to a wider audience.
Right now, it's too early to think about contingency plans, but Manfred has already confirmed that there will need to be one if the A's are in contention.
Jason has been covering the A’s at various sites for over a decade, and was the original host of the Locked on A’s podcast. He also covers the Stanford Cardinal as they attempt to rebuild numerous programs to prominence.
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