The good weather this summer in the Sacramento region might cause the Athletics and Major League Baseball to rethink a key aspect of scheduling ahead of the team’s 2026 season.
The A’s might want more day games, particularly on getaway days, after limiting the number of day games to avoid the region’s typically hot temperatures while planning for 2025.
“Going into this year, we didn’t know the circumstances,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said before Wednesday’s 8-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in the final game of a three-game series, played at night. “We base our decision-making processes on the previous season, and previous summer, which was extremely hot.”
A’s brass and Major League Baseball schedule makers worked to give the team a record-tying 60 night games this year, the team’s first in West Sacramento, to avoid playing in hot temperatures. The A’s scheduled just two day games in June, one in July and three in August.
The logic stemmed from the historic temperatures from last summer, including July, which had the most 100-, 105- and 110-degree days on record, according to the National Weather Service. This summer has been dramatically cooler, with only a handful of 100-degree days combined in June and July.
Schedules most often include afternoon starts for the final games of series, allowing teams more time for travel and recovery. The A’s had five series end in night games in June and July.
Wednesday’s night game for the Rays came before a day off Thursday and a series in San Francisco against the Giants beginning Friday. The A’s will have a rare off day at home, with no travel, before hosting the Los Angeles Angels in a weekend series starting Friday.
Temperatures this summer have been far milder than a year ago. Five of the team’s 60 home games had a first-pitch temperature of 90 degrees or higher while 33 home games have been at 80 or higher. Wednesday’s rubber match between the A’s and Rays came in at a very comfortable 81 degrees at first pitch.
The July 13 game against the Blue Jays, the final game contest before the All-Star break, had a 1:05 pm. first pitch with a game-time temperature of 85 degrees. It was 102 degrees on the same day in 2024. The average temperature at first pitch this year has been 78.6 degrees, according to the team’s communications department.
Of course, the weather could revert to hot temperatures with 21 home games remaining. And there’s a chance next summer’s temperatures could fall back to 2024’s scorching numbers if the A’s decide to play more day games at Sutter Health Park.
Regardless of temperature, Kotsay made a case that more days games would help for recovery purposes, and allow players to spend more time with their families. Kotsay noted he’ll be on a morning flight Thursday to visit his family in San Diego, rather than an evening flight after a Wednesday day game to make it in time for dinner.
“For these guys, they go to bed late, they wake up midday tomorrow, it impacts recovery for them,” Kotsay said. “And then the family time. You get an opportunity to have dinner tonight, dinner tomorrow (during Thursday’s off day). Those are valuable times for guys. They mean a lot to the wives, the kids, the families that don’t get the attention and time that we can’t give them during the season.”
The schedule for next season is expected to be released in the coming weeks, while start times should come in January. Even if the temperatures rise, Kotsay indicated the organization might want to push for more afternoon starts.
“You look at the weather patterns,” Kotsay said, “3 o’clock is probably the hottest time of day. But we’re going to go on this (upcoming) road trip, we have a 12:10 game in Minnesota. We just played a 12:10 game in Washington. So those are doable game times, and I think guys might appreciate or like to make that change.”
Rays handle A’s in series finale
The A’s lost on Wednesday after starting pitcher J.T. Ginn allowed six runs in two innings before four A’s relievers combined to throw six scoreless. Rays third baseman Junior Caminero hit a two-run homer off Elvis Alvarado in the ninth, and second baseman Brandon Lowe hit a two-run shot in the second.
The A’s quiet offensive night was highlighted by a solo home run from Lawrence Butler in the third inning and an RBI single from Gio Urshela in the fifth. Tampa Bay had 12 hits while the A’s managed just four.
The A’s host the Angels for a three-game series this weekend, with 7:05 p.m. start times Friday and Saturday before a 1:05 p.m. day game Sunday.