Sacramento Kings guard Dennis Schroder (17) works his way to the basket against the Detroit Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart (28) at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Sun Jan 25, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento Kings podcast with Barbara Mason:
1. The Sacramento Kings suffered another loss this time at the hands of the Detroit Pistons 139-116. This was their fifth loss in a row as the trade deadline grows closer.
2.The Kings starters have struggled prompting changes in the lineup-meaning a lot more minutes for the bench and they have not disappointed.
3.The Pistons Cade Cunningham did most of the heavy lifting but had a lot of support from teammates in this win as well as some great work from their bench.
4.The Pistons are sitting on top in the Eastern Conference 5 1/2 games ahead of the second place Celtics.
5.The Kings will now head into New York Tuesday night for a matchup with the Knicks after beating them a few weeks ago at Golden One.
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
It’s safe to say the Sacramento A’s logo will be used officially by the 2026 A’s for the upcoming season (image from Baltimore Positive WNST)
Trademark now Sacramento A’s, Vegas is next. -An Identity problem?
That’s Amaury News and Commentary
By Amaury Pi-González
Congratulations to the Athletics; they are now the Sacramento A’s. Thankfully, the US Supreme Court did not have to rule on this; they are very busy these days, and I am sure they agree that baseball team trademarks are not something they want to hold hearings on and then make a final decision on. They just listened to two days of hearings on the Trans Athletes challenge to Title IX of biological women in sports. On the Trademark, well, the A’s were late on this, no surprise, but it is official, this season, they will be known as the Sacramento A’s. Congratulations!
Considering that in 2027, there is a decent chance the entire season might not happen, there is over a 95% chance that baseball owners will lock out players over a dispute on the salary cap, Although it would be unfortunate for the sport and baseball fans, if that takes effect and there is no baseball in 2027, but wait! there is good news for the A’s, they will have more time (during the lockout) to come up with another name to trademark, the name for the A’s in Las Vegas.
Here is my recommendation for the A’s to use when they eventually land in Vegas. Here it is. “The Team Formerly known as the Oakland A’s.” Sorry, too long, but it makes sense, although you cannot carry the name Oakland in Las Vegas. But if you use this long trademark, you will have to make some changes, not to mention what kind of uniform can fit all that! However, I will bet you anything that people across the country will know which franchise it is, they will say from Maine to Tijuana, “Oh yeah, that is the team that won four World Series in Oakland.
You will need larger billboards along the highways leading to Las Vegas. But you will have to “brainstorm” what to put in their Vegas uniforms, from Sin City to Las Vegas Gamblers, and in between. By the way, the fact remains that the A’s have used the “Las Vegas Gamblers” as an alternate to their Triple-A team, the Las Vegas Aviators. Why not? It will be “all in the family.”
You teach me baseball, and I’ll teach you relativity. … No, we must not; you will learn about relativity faster than I learn about baseball.”
-Albert Einstein.
Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.
LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874
From the second you step in the front door, the sounds of Latin America will gently seduce your ears and continue as you relax outdoors with your favorite cocktail enjoying the view. The wonderful flavors and aromas of our cuisine will not disappoint.
We use only the finest, freshest, local ingredients in every dish and every dish is prepared to order. Enjoy live mariachi music weekly and on special occasions, catch balet folklorico dance performances among other live entertainment. Come visit us and have a great time! Enjoy fast, friendly service, fantastic food & cocktails, music and allow us to share our beautiful Mexican heritage with you.
LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant at 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874.
The U.S. government has denied the trademarks for “Vegas Athletics” and “Las Vegas Athletics”
That’s Amaury News and Commentary
By Amaury Pi-González
The USPTO, the United States Patent and Trademark Office, is the federal authority for issuing Patents and trademarks, and it is the one that issued the denial of the current A’s ownership. This just happened: The US Government denies the team’s ownership of the trademarks “Las Vegas Athletics” and “Vegas Athletics”.
During their years in Oakland, they secured 20 trademarks. However, the relocation to Las Vegas necessitated a new filing to get the same protection. The A’s front office dropped the ball by not acting quickly on this, and now they are ‘behind the 8-ball’ trying to “catch up” since their plans call to inaugurate a new facility in Las Vegas by 2028.
Eventually, they should resolve this issue, but this shows the ineptness of this outfit. Although they are in the major leagues, the A’s truly operate like a Class “A’s team, and this is no disrespect to minor league teams, many of whom approach their business much more professionally, and no disrespect to those that currently work for this A’s organization.
I know many of them, and they are very good people. For young people who want to get a leg up in the professional sports business, it is a good place to intern, gain a couple of years of experience, and then “Adiós, Hasta la Vista.” I personally know a few who traveled that path recently. Smart move, good for them!
Believe it or not, this question is still very popular not only in the Bay Area, but also outside it, because I have spoken with people there. They always seem to ask the following: “What are the odds Las Vegas is really going to happen for the A’s?
It seems there are still too many unanswered questions, and it feels like the team and fans will get screweed again. And who is guilty of people saying such things? The current ownership, as their so-called transition from city to city, feels like a very popular Disneyland attraction for kids, called Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride.
A common joke highlights the incongruity of team names kept after relocation, citing examples such as the Minnesota Lakers moving to LA and the Texas Oilers moving to Tennessee. (A’s) The franchise holds the record for having called the most different cities home, moving from Philadelphia to Kansas City to Oakland to…XXXX A’s.
Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.
LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874
From the second you step in the front door, the sounds of Latin America will gently seduce your ears and continue as you relax outdoors with your favorite cocktail enjoying the view. The wonderful flavors and aromas of our cuisine will not disappoint.
We use only the finest, freshest, local ingredients in every dish and every dish is prepared to order. Enjoy live mariachi music weekly and on special occasions, catch balet folklorico dance performances among other live entertainment. Come visit us and have a great time! Enjoy fast, friendly service, fantastic food & cocktails, music and allow us to share our beautiful Mexican heritage with you.
LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant at 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874.
Former Oakland A’s president David Kaval in 2016 touted how the A’s would build a new ballpark at Howard Terminal near Jack London Square in Oakland. In 2023 Kaval announced the team would move to Las Vegas and later resigned his position with the A’s. ( photo from Forbes)
A’s Pouring Cement in Las Vegas as the Betrayal continues
That’s Amaury News and Commentary
By Amaury Pi-González
For Oakland A’s fans, this pouring of cement at their under-construction new location in Las Vegas feels like the Mafia burying them in cement. In my opinion, a relocation that did not have to happen. The Oakland media market is ranked in the Top 10 US markets by Nielsen ratings, while Las Vegas, Nevada, is ranked 40th.
In baseball terms, that is like comparing a .330 hitter in Oakland to a .220 hitter in Las Vegas. But…no problem, “pour more cement” says one guy smoking a Havana at the Tropicana location.. In the late 1950s, Brooklyn Dodgers fans felt a sense of abandonment and loss when they moved to Los Angeles, much as New York Giants fans felt heartbroken and betrayed when they moved to San Francisco in 1958.
The story of the Oakland A’s is in some way similar to that of the two New York teams. Especially because the Dodgers and Giants left New York primarily because of a stadium situation. In New York, with the city planner Robert Moses, plus also financial opportunities in untapped markets in California.
The difference is that California was indeed a huge untapped market for Major League Baseball, offering a great opportunity for these teams. Does anybody believe Las Vegas is like Los Angeles or Oakland-San Francisco? In mid-November 2016, the Oakland A’s named Dave Kaval President of the Oakland Athletics. Kaval would come into our Spanish radio booth at the Oakland Coliseum and talk about the new ballpark for the A’s in Oakland, although he did not speak Spanish, we translated very clear and remember when Kaval would tell us/radio audience: “the new A’s park would be next to the bay, a beautiful setting, just like the Giants across the bay.”
He visited many times to “update us” on the new A’s Oakland ballpark; he spoke of it ad nauseam. A good friend who is a huge baseball fan described Mr Kaval to me simply like this: “he is a weasel”. Before 1958, California had several professional minor league baseball teams, such as the San Francisco Seals in the PCL, where young players like Joe DiMaggio and his brother, Vin DiMaggio, played.
Also, here in California, the great Ted Williams played professional baseball years before the Dodgers and Giants arrived in the Golden State. The Hollywood Stars were a rival of the LA Angels. My father-in-law, (Joe)Clardy, played in the early 1950s for the Las Vegas Wranglers.. which was the only professional baseball team in Las Vegas.
The SF Giants released a statement after the A’s relocation to Las Vegas was announced, calling the move a “loss for all baseball fans” The team acknowledged the A’s as a “big part of Bay Area baseball history” and expressed sadness over the potential departure of their East Bay rivals.
Well, the San Francisco Giants were among all the 30 teams that voted to have the A’s leave Oakland. Like the famous line from The Godfather is ‘It’s not personal. It’s strictly business,” delivered by Michael Corleone and also by Salvatore Tessio.
Note: Currently, the smallest Major League Baseball stadium is Progressive Field in Cleveland with a capacity of 34,830. A’s in Las Vegas is projected to have 33,000 seats, making it the smallest in MLB. It took three months to film the movie “Viva Las Vegas” with Elvis, which also featured some scenes at The Tropicana.
Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.
While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com
Sacramento A’s slugger Nick Kurtz rounds the bases after hitting one of his four home runs against the Houston Astros at Daiken Field in Houston on Jul 25, 2025 (AP News photo)
Nick Kurtz to Win the American League Rookie of the Year Award
That’s Amaury News and Commentary
By Amaury Pi-González
The 2025 American League Rookie of the Year will be officially announced this Monday, the 10th of November. It will be Nick Kurtz. It is a ‘fait accomply’ Nick Kurtz is the only MLB rookie in history to hit four home runs in a single game, achieving this feat on July 25, 2025, against the Houston Astros.
Had a marvelous rookie season. He hit .290, with 36 home runs and drove in 86 runs. The young first baseman for the A’s was one of just three players with at least 400 plate appearances and an OPS over 1,000, along with Silver Sluggers Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani.
Kurtz gave the A’s their second straight season with a Silver Slugger Award, after Brent Rooker won at DH in 2024. Before that, it was Eric Chávez in 2002. The potential for this 22-year-old, 6’5″, 240 lbs left-handed hitter is as high as the sky, as well as the odds for Nick to win the American League Rookie of the Year.
Kurtz’ chances of winning the Rookie of the Year are very close to 100% chance. I will say it is inevitable; there are no other rookies in 2025 in the American League with the impact of Kurtz. The largest salary given to an Athletics player is $67 million, for pitcher Luis Severino, a three-year deal in 2024.
In the case of Kurtz, A’s owner Mr. Fisher might need another loan to pay the star if Kurtz continues to be the player he seems to be. However, the good news for the A’s, Kurtz is projected to become a free agent after 2031, heading into age 29.
His contract with this A’s will not expire until then. He also received a $7 million signing bonus when he was drafted in 2024. His salary is part of his pre-arbitration contract with the Oakland Athletics. He also received a $7 million singing bonus.
Oakland Athletics to win the Rookie of the Year Award. José Canseco (1986), Mark McGwire (1987), Walt Weiss (1988), Ben Grieve (1992), Bobby Crosby (2004), Huston Street (2005), Andrew Bailey (2009)
Note: 21 players in Major League Baseball history have hit four home runs in a single game. Kurtz will join the group alongside some of the game’s luminaries, including these two: Lou Gehrig and Willie Mays.
Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.
While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com
The San Jose Earthquakes and Pay Pal Park are both up for sale by Quakes owner John Fisher for a cool $600 million (photo of Pay Pay Park by Arch Key Solutions)
San Jose Earthquakes Soccer team is still for sale — And the Potential world Stoppage in Baseball.
That’s Amaury News and Commentary
By Amaury Pi-González
SAN JOSE–According to Forbes, the San José Earthquakes are valued at approximately $540 million, while Sportico values them at $600 million. The team for sale by John Fisher, owner of the once Oakland A’s, now playing temporarily in Sacramento.
The Quakes is officially on the market, with Fisher hiring an investment bank to handle the sale of a controlling share of the club. Fisher bought the team in 2007 for $20 million.
The top-valued team in Major League Soccer is LAFC (Los Angeles Fútbol Club) at $1.28 billion, followed by Inter Miami, LA Galaxy, Atlanta United, and New York City FC. The valuations of the top teams are much higher, with LAFC leading the league at $1.28 billion, followed by Inter Miami, LA Galaxy, Atlanta United, and New York City FC.
The original cost of the 33,000-seat Las Vegas A’s baseball park, $1.5 billion, is now expected to exceed $2 billion. It increased due to rising construction costs and detailed planning. Cost overruns are not unique to baseball stadiums; they are a frequent issue in almost any large construction project.
Could the potential MLB work stoppage be an obstacle for the A’s Las Vegas baseball park? Considering a potential work stoppage is expected for the 2026-27 season, it could not only halt the A’s Las Vegas project but also kill the Major League Baseball season.
The owners want a salary cap, but the union opposes it. What else is new? The baseball owners and the players’ union are like the two main political parties in Washington. The collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association expires on December 1, 2026. There is a lot at stake, and this could be a long work stoppage.
Note: There have been nine work stoppages in Major League Baseball (MLB) history, which include both player strikes and owner lockouts. The most recent Major League Baseball (MLB) work stoppage was a lock out inititated by the team owners, which lasted 99 days from Decemvber 2, 2021, to March 10,2022
Sacramento Kings Domantas Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan shake hands during practice on Fri Oct 3, 2025 (Sacramento Kings X photo)
Sacramento Kings podcast Barbara Mason:
#1 How will the coaching staff determine the pecking order among the guards Dennis Schröder, Zach LaVine, Keon Ellis, Malik Monk — what criteria will separate starters from bench roles?
#2 Who emerges as the primary backup at the center position behind Domantas Sabonis, and how might that affect the frontcourt rotation?
# 3 What is the expected role and trajectory for younger players and non‑guaranteed signees trying to make the roster?
#4 How aggressively will Coach Doug Christie experiment with alternate lineups or mismatches small ball, positional versatility during preseason?
#5 First pre season game against the Toronto Raptors Wed Oct 8 at 7:00pm PT at Golden One Center in Sacramento. The Kings have got to be excited about finally getting out on the floor and getting some game action.
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Sacramento A’s outfielder Brent Rooker models the Sacramento uniform the A’s will use when on the road for the 2026 season. (photo by Sacramento A’s X)
MLB Notes 2025 -Giants get No Satisfaction
That’s Amaury News and Commentary
By Amaury Pi-González
The San Francisco Giants got “No Satisfaction” like the great Rolling Stones song, as they ended the season with an 81-81 record, a tie, and. a .500 mark. Not going to the postseason. The Giants last qualified in 2021. They have a lot of work to do in the next few months to try to join the “big boys” of this division, LA and SD.
Mets learned that Money is not the Answer. The New York Mets, with the highest payroll in baseball, featuring Juan Soto at $765 million and Francisco Lindor at $341 million, among others, had a shot but failed to win game #162.
They are not going to the postseason. Manager Carlos Mendoza? His job is in danger. In New York, there is always danger for managers. The Cincinnati Reds had the 22nd-largest payroll among all 30 teams, approximately $90 million, and one of the best managers, Terry Francona.
They clinched a wild-card spot in the last game of the season. The last time the Reds were in a postseason was in 2020. Cleveland Guardians (formerly the Indians) completed a historic comeback, overcoming a 15 1/2 game deficit to take the lead this month and won the AL Central Division on the last day of the season by leaving the Detroit Tigers in the rear view mirror.
The feat that makes it the largest deficit ever erased to win a division in Major League Baseball history. Manager and ex-Oakland A’s catcher Stephen Vogt, in his second season as manager, took the team to the top. Blue Jays, Oh Canada!
They won the LA East Title over the Yankees. Last time the Blue Jays were in the postseason? 2016. Again, Vlad Guerrero Jr. justifies his $500 million, multi-year contract. New York, New York, Start spreading the news.
The Yankees secured a wild-card spot and advanced to the postseason as they finished in second place behind the Toronto Blue Jays. While the Blue Jays have their eyes on their third World Series title, the Yanks are going after their 28th.
Could the #1 city in the country have another parade? As I was on vacation, I ran into their last parade in Lower Manhattan in 2009, the last World Series they won. The Seattle Mariners won the AL West division, clinching their first AL West title since 2001.
Catcher Cal Raleigh had 60 home runs, 125 RBIs, and a .248 batting average. First catcher ever to hit 60 home runs in a single season, and the 12th catcher in history to have multiple 30-plus HR seasons. Cal Raleigh holds the MLB record for most home runs by a switch-hitter in a single season, surpassing Mickey Mantle’s 1961 record of 54 home runs with his 55th of the 2025 season, and, like above-mentioned, he ended with 60 home runs.
He is one of two top candidates for the AL MVP, with Yankee Aaron Judge, who won the batting title. hitting .330 with 53 home runs and 114 RBIs, plus an OPS of 1,149. The Brewers from Milwaukee ended with the best record in baseball, 97-65, winning the AL Central Division and marking their best year in franchise history.
They have never won a World Series. In 1982, they lost their only World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals, in the battle of the “beer cities.” Four million Blue. The Los Angeles Dodgers surpassed 4 million in attendance.
The Dodgers hold the record for the longest active streak of consecutive playoff appearances in MLB, a streak that stands at 13 seasons. They were the favorites to win the World Series prior to the start. With the MLB postseason underway, the Philadelphia Phillies, Seattle Mariners, and defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers are all involved.
“All World” Ohtani hit his 55th home run during their last game of the season at Chávez Ravine. My pick for the team that could go all the way, not mentioned here, is the San Diego Padres. They have all the talent necessary to make it all the way to the 2025 World Series Champions.
A’s Big News ! The A’s biggest news at year’s end. The Athletics will be introducing a new gold/yellow alternate jersey for the 2026 season, featuring “Sacramento” written on the front, in honor of their temporary home at Sutter Health Park. Why?
Lots of people, not only in California but all over the country, had NO IDEA where the A’s were playing. I know I missed other teams that are in the postseason, but I am exhausted.
Quote: Baseball was made for kids, and grown-ups only screw it up. ~Bob Lemon Adiós muchachos!
Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.
While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com
Nick Kurtz #16 of the Athletics hits a two run home run during the bottom of the eighth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Sutter Health Park on September 28, 2025 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images)
By Jeremiah Salmonson
WEST SACRAMENTO–The Athletics welcomed the Kansas City Royals to Sutter Health Park for the final game of the 2025 season on Sunday afternoon.
Earlier in the day, the famously not Sacramento Athletics unveiled a new Sacramento gold jersey they will wear in 2026. The Athletics President, Marc Badain, released a statement about the decision for the new jersey.
“It’s been an unforgettable first season in West Sacramento, and this uniform is another way to celebrate the passion we’ve already felt throughout the community.”
On Sunday, the A’s fell in 9-2 fashion to finish off the regular season 76-86.
The A’s elected to go with a bullpen game on Sunday, starting things off with opener Brady Basso. Basso struggled in his one and a third innings of work as he allowed one run on three hits while walking two.
Next out of the bullpen was Tyler Ferguson, who got the last two outs of the second inning without issue.
Elvis Alvarado pitched a scoreless third inning for the A’s as he walked one and struck out two.
Mitch Spence, who proved to be the longman for the A’s on Sunday, pitched the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. Spence labored and didn’t have his best stuff as he allowed three runs on seven hits while striking out one Royal hitter.
Michael Kelly came on for the seventh inning and also struggled as he only managed to get one out while allowing three runs (two earned) on two hits.
Osvaldo Bido finished off the seventh inning and also pitched the eighth, giving up two runs on two hits in his one and two thirds innings of work. He also struck out two batters and walked one.
Scott McGough pitched a scoreless ninth inning for the A’s to finish off the season on the defensive side of the field.
The A’s bats struggled all game against the Royals pitching staff. The A’s tallied seven hits and three walks in the game while scoring only two runs.
The A’s two runs came courtesy of Nick Kurtz, who hit his 36th home run of the season to get the A’s on the board in the eighth inning.
Mark Kotsay spoke about the season after the game—specifically, how he felt the team played after their nearly 20 straight loss stretch.
“…the character of the group showed up, mindset changed, and I think you saw a team that fought throughout the rest of the year to try to get back to the .500 mark and we fell short, unfortunately, but I thought we played our best baseball and the show each in the last three months with winning records.”
Kotsay was alluding to the winning records the A’s posted in July, August, and September to close out the season. The A’s were not an easy opponent in the second half and gave plenty of good teams a tough time.
Brent Rooker spoke with the media after the game, saying he was proud of how the team played even after a rough stretch during the middle of the season.
“I think when you look around the room, there’s a ton of guys that kind of established themselves this year as real pieces on a roster that can compete with those teams that made the playoffs and that’s what we’re going to do. I think we performed well, specifically three months of the season, and is pretty indicative of who we are as a team and we’re excited to go back to work this off season and come into spring training with higher expectations than we have.”
Nick Kurtz, who many regard as the next star of MLB, spoke to us on how he reflects on his first season with the A’s.
“I mean, it was awesome. It was fun, it was exciting, kind saw it all. I had personal tough at bats and tough times and we had the really highs also. As a team you also have a little bit of both as well. So I think moving on, we all learned a lot about ourselves and as a unit, what we need to do to come back here next year and get a potential playoff spot and play some October baseball.”
The A’s will open their 2026 season on the road in Toronto as they take on the Blue Jays on March 26th, 2026.
Luis Morales #58 of the Athletics walks off the field after being pulled during the top of the fifth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Sutter Health Park on September 27, 2025 in Sacramento, California. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Scott Marshall/Getty Images)
By Jeremiah Salmonson
WEST SACRAMENTO — After a thrilling walk-off on Friday night and a Mark Kotsay ejection on Saturday, the Royals got the best of the A’s by a 4-2 in game two of the series.
Luis Morales got the ball for the A’s on Saturday night in his final start of his rookie season. Morales, who has experienced a number of growing pains this year in the big leagues, pitched well to close out his season. He tossed four and two-thirds innings of three-run (two earned) baseball while giving up five hits and walking two Royals batters.
Kotsay was impressed by Morales after his final start of the season.
“I think there’s a lot of excitement that surrounds Luis and I have a full offseason now to prepare for next year and like you said, from starting out in AA to come to the big leagues and have some success and really show what he’s capable of doing in a really short time and make progress…”
“I just thank God…,” Morales said after his start in the clubhouse. “I worked really hard. To go from Double A and finish in the big leagues, for me, it’s a big win to be here.”
The bullpen
Elvis Alvarado was the first out of the pen for Kotsay and the A’s. Alvarado got the last out of the fifth inning and tossed a clean sixth, allowing a walk as his only baserunner.
In the seventh, Michael Kelly came in to relieve Alvarado. Kelly pitched a clean frame with his only blemish being a walk that he worked around with no issues.
The eighth inning belonged to Tyler Ferguson, who pitched a scoreless frame while giving up a two-out walk and a hit that he stranded.
In the ninth inning, Hogan Harris got the ball for the A’s. Harris wasn’t sharp, allowing two hits and a run, but he was able to limit the damage in his one inning of work.
Kotsay was ejected in the ninth inning after a foul tip was called by the home plate umpire that did not appear to hit the bat. This followed a hit by pitch earlier in the game that did not strike Salvador Perez but was ruled a hit by pitch.
The bats
The A’s struggled against Royals starter Michael Wacha and subsequent bullpen arms prior to the seventh inning. They began to build some offensive momentum in the seventh when Carlos Cortes hit an RBI double to get the A’s on the board, cutting the deficit to 3-1.
In the eighth inning, Shea Langeliers pulled the A’s within one with an RBI double that scored Nick Kurtz, who had walked earlier in the inning.
The A’s wouldn’t score again as they failed to mount a comeback in the ninth. They tallied six total hits and three walks on Saturday night.
Up next
The A’s will finish the 2025 season on Sunday as they take on the Royals at 12:05 p.m. PST in West Sacramento. The Royals are scheduled to start Cole Ragans (3-3, 5.02 ERA) in their season finale, while the A’s have yet to announce a starter.
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Sports Radio Service 