Kurtz, Clarke and Langeliers Spark Sacramento’s Electric 8-2 Comeback in Cleveland

Sacramento A’s Shea Langeliers (right) is congratulated by Jacob Wilson (left) after hitting a two run home run off Cleveland Guardians pitcher Nic Enright in the top of the eighth inning at Progressive Field on Sat Jul 19, 2025 (AP News photo)

Kurtz, Clarke and Langeliers Spark Sacramento’s Electric 8-2 Comeback in Cleveland

By Mauricio Segura

It was a quiet beginning that gave way to a symphony of power as the Sacramento Athletics staged a thrilling turnaround in Cleveland, turning an early deficit into an 8-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday night at Progressive Field.

The night started unassumingly for the Green and Gold, with the top of the order going down in order in the first inning. By the bottom of the third, Cleveland had taken a 2-0 lead thanks to José Ramírez’s two-run blast into the right field seats.

Sacramento’s bats woke up with a vengeance in the top of the fourth. Brent Rooker and Nick Kurtz each smacked sharp doubles to bring in a run, and catcher Shea Langeliers followed with another RBI double to even the score.

Miguel Andujar added the go-ahead blow with a line drive RBI single to center, giving the A’s a 3-2 lead. The three-run outburst was as sudden as it was efficient, a masterclass in execution against Guardians starter Logan Allen.

From that point forward, Sacramento’s pitching staff made sure the lead would never be threatened. Severino delivered a strong six-inning performance, allowing just two runs on four hits and striking out six.

Jack Perkins came in for relief and slammed the door over two scoreless frames, showing maturity beyond his years by inducing ground balls and staying ahead in counts. By the time Justin Sterner took over in the ninth, it was just a matter of wrapping up a win.

The real action came in the eighth and ninth innings, courtesy of some of the A’s brightest young talents. Nick Kurtz led off the eighth with his second double of the night, a rocket into the right-center field gap. Langeliers, fresh off an earlier RBI, stepped up and launched his 14th homer of the season over the right-field wall to give the A’s breathing room at 5-2.

Not to be outdone, rookie Denzel Clarke showcased his speed and flair in the ninth with a blistering triple to center. Jacob Wilson followed by unloading on a hanging pitch for a two-run homer, extending the lead to 7-2.

Kurtz capped off his monster night with a solo shot of his own, a majestic fly ball to left-center that put the exclamation point on Sacramento’s offensive explosion. With two doubles, a homer, and three RBIs, the first baseman gave a performance that not only boosted his rising profile but also proved why the A’s view him as a cornerstone of their future.

Defensively, the A’s were crisp and well-positioned throughout. Jacob Wilson turned a pair of slick double plays, Max Muncy showcased his versatility by shifting between third and second base without missing a beat, and Clarke’s glove in center saved extra bases more than once.

Even when Cleveland tried to apply pressure with aggressive baserunning, Sacramento countered with calm execution, like catcher Austin Wynns gunning down Angel Martínez in the fifth to kill a budding rally.

Manager Mark Kotsay’s decision-making was on point, from the timely pinch-hitting move to bring in Tyler Soderstrom to the defensive switches that solidified the infield late. Soderstrom made the most of his appearance, swiping second base and adding another spark to the team’s aggressive tone on the basepaths.

The Guardians, meanwhile, never found their rhythm after Ramírez’s early homer. Carlos Santana walked twice but couldn’t produce a hit, and Daniel Schneemann was struck out twice by Severino in key spots. Cleveland’s bullpen didn’t fare much better, as both Matt Festa and Nic Enright were tagged in Sacramento’s scoring surges.

While the Athletics still sit in the thick of a long road to .500, Saturday’s game offered a tantalizing glimpse into a promising future if they remain consistent enough. Power from the corner spots, speed in the outfield, timely hitting from the middle of the order, and a bullpen that locks things down, all the elements of a competitive club were on display.

The A’s conclude the three game series Sunday at Progressive Field against the Guardians. Starting pitcher for the A’s LHP Jeffrey Springs (8-6 ERA 3.93) for Guardians RHP Gavin Williams (5-4 ERA 3.70) first pitch 10:40AM PT.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

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. 

Athletics Podcast with Lincoln Juarez: A’s open up second half of season with loss in Cleveland

Jul 18, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers (23) slides into second with an RBI double as Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio (4) waits for the throw during the ninth inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Sacramento A’s podcast Lincoln Juarez:

1. The A’s are currently 16.5 games back of the first place Astros with a first half that didn’t go as planned, how do the A’s approach the second half of the season

    2.All-Star recap: Jacob Wilson was the first A’s player to start in the All-Star game since Josh Donaldson in 2014. Brent Rooker got eliminated by less than an inch in Monday night’s Home-Run Derby.

    3. JP Sears surrendered six earned runs in Cleveland Friday night in just four innings of work. Coming off a loss and no-decision he sits at 7-8 with a 5.13 ERA. If the A’s were to make any sort of run, they need him to be better. What can he do to get more consistent results?

    4. How do the A’s approach the July 31 trade deadline? Rooker to the Giants? Where does Luis Severino play after July 31?

    5. Looking at the week ahead, after three games in Cleveland the A’s play three in Arlington against the Rangers and four in Houston against the first place Astros. What can the A’s expect from them against division rivals and teams ahead of them in the division standings?

    Lincoln Juarez is a podcast contributor at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

    Sacramento A’s game wrap: Late Rally Can’t Save A’s From Another Cleveland Curse in 8-6 loss

    Sacramento A’s second baseman Max Muncy (left) puts the tag on the Cleveland Guardians Jose Ramirez (right) spoiling his base stealing attempt in the bottom of the first inning at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Fri Jul 18, 2025 (AP News photo)

    Late Rally Can’t Save A’s From Another Cleveland Curse in 8-6 loss

    By Mauricio Segura

    The Sacramento Athletics started the second half of the season like they never left: in a hole. And not just on the scoreboard. Sacramento’s Green and Gold returned from the All-Star break with a frustrating 8-6 loss to the Guardians at Progressive Field, a ballpark that has haunted the A’s for years, and lived up to the billing again Friday night.

    What began as a tight pitcher’s duel quickly unraveled into a nightmare third inning for starter JP Sears. After striking out the first two batters of the game and putting up zeros in the first two frames, the lefty ran into a paper shredder.

    A leadoff double from Brayan Rocchio set the tone. One pitch later, Angel Martínez drove in Rocchio with a single. Then David Fry followed with a two-run blast to left-center. José Ramírez, who walked in his first at-bat, then tripled, and Carlos Santana’s sac fly brought him home. By the time Sears exited, the A’s were trailing 5-0 and Cleveland had all the momentum.

    Sacramento’s bats, meanwhile, were asleep for most of the game, managing only a solo homer from Brent Rooker (his 21st of the season), in the fifth to break the shutout. The rest of the night was an exercise in missed opportunities until it was nearly too late.

    The Guardians kept piling on, including a pair of RBI doubles in the fourth by Rocchio, again, and a run-scoring single by Nolan Jones in the fifth. Sears’ night ended after five innings, allowing eight hits and all eight Cleveland runs. The bullpen fared better, with J.T. Ginn, Hogan Harris, and Elvis Alvarado combining for three shutout innings, which helped set up a dramatic ninth.

    Down 8-3 entering their final frame, the A’s unleashed a furious rally. Nick Kurtz opened the inning with a triple, followed by another triple from Rooker to bring him in. Shea Langeliers doubled to plate Rooker, then Miguel Andujar ripped a double of his own to cut the deficit to two. Just like that, the A’s had momentum and the heart of the order coming up with no outs.

    But Emmanuel Clase, Cleveland’s fireballing closer, slammed the door. He struck out Max Muncy, then fanned pinch-hitter Gio Urshela to end it. The A’s came up just short of stealing one in a ballpark they haven’t won in since 2021.

    There were a few silver linings amid the disappointment. Kurtz continues to look like a star in the making, adding to his rookie lead in home runs and RBI with a 3-for-5 night that included a triple and RBI single. Langeliers, who’d been mired in a post-injury slump, broke out with three hits, including a homer and a double. And Rooker, fresh off a standout All-Star break, kept rolling with his 100th career home run, part of a 2-for-5 night.

    But that wasn’t enough to offset a rough start from Sears, who gave up his 20th home run of the season and fell to 7-8. It was the latest reminder of the A’s most glaring issue this year: starting pitching. Sacramento starters have thrown fewer than seven innings in 93 straight games, the longest such streak in franchise history. And once again, it left too much of a burden on the bullpen.

    Defensively, the A’s were clean, no errors, but their inability to keep Cleveland off the bases early sealed their fate. With the loss, Sacramento dropped to 0-1 on the road trip and extended their losing streak in Cleveland to eight straight games.

    They’ll try to regroup Saturday with Luis Severino on the mound. The veteran right-hander has been snakebitten all year, entering the game with a 2-11 record despite solid road splits. He’ll face Cleveland’s Logan Allen, a lefty the A’s haven’t seen since May.

    For now, though, the post-break optimism gets shelved. Same issues. Same result. And the ghosts of Progressive Field continue to haunt the Green and Gold.

    Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

    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 podcast Michael Roberson: A’s Rooker and Wilson did well during All Star week

    Jul 15, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; National League designated hitter Brent Rooker (25) of the Athletics in the home run swing off tiebreaker during the 2025 MLB All Star Game at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

    On the Sacramento A’s podcast Michael Roberson:

    #1 Michael, the A’s Brent Rooker had himself an All Star week we’ll start with the home run derby last Monday where Rooker tied with the Seattle Mariners Cal Raleigh only to lose to Raleigh on a “Measure off” Raleigh’s last home run defeated Rooker by one inch to win the derby.

    #2 Rooker also got a left center field three run home run off of San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Randy Rodriguez in the bottom of the seventh inning.

    #3 Further there was talk this week that the Giants could be interested in obtaining Rooker before this month’s trade deadline. Rooker is signed with the A’s through the 2029 season on a five year deal worth $60 million which includes a $22 million option for 2030.

    #4 The A’s Jacob Wilson scored a run, had one hit for two RBIs so the A’s Rooker and Wilson showed up for this All Star Game and represented the A’s well.

    #5 The A’s open the second half of the 2025 season this Friday in Cleveland for a three game set. Starting pitcher for the A’s LHP JP Sears (7-7 ERA 4.79) for the Guardians RHP Slade Cecconi (4-4 ERA 3.44) first pitch at 4:10pm PT at Progressive Field in Cleveland.

    Michael Roberson is a Sacramento A’s podcast contributor at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

    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. 

    That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Rays selling club to developer that will keep them in Tampa Bay

    Tropicana Field the day after Hurricane Milton destroyed the roof on Oct 10, 2024. The cost to fix the Tropicana was in excess of Tampa Bay Rays owner Stu Sternburg’s budget while trying to build a ballpark in St Petersburg forcing Sternburg to sell the team (AP file photo)

    That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

    #1 Tampa Bay Rays owner Stu Sternberg has reached an agreement with Florida developer Patrick Zalupski in principle on a deal to sell the Rays for $1.7 billion. The deal keeps the Rays in Tampa Bay and is expected to close in September. Zalupski is a homebuilder in Jacksonville and was a buyer who strongly believes in keeping the team in Tampa Bay.

    #2 Amaury, Sternberg bought the Rays in 2004 for $200 million. After last year’s Hurricane Milton tore the roof off of Tropicana Field the Rays were forced to play their home games at the New York Yankees spring training facility at George M Steinbrenner Field. Zalupski plans to build a new ballpark and keep the club in Tampa Bay.

    #3 Sternburg basically could not go forward with owning the team. Before the Hurricane Sternburg planned to build a new stadium at the Historic Gas Plant District and was planning to design a recreational retail and residential area in St Petersburg replacing the old Tropicana. That was all shot down after Sternburg realized the excess costs in repairing the Trop and later tearing it down to build the new park.

    #4 Meanwhile the Sacramento A’s development for their new ballpark is still in question as A’s owner John Fisher is looking for someone to buy the MLS San Jose Earthquakes for $600 million to cover part of the costs of his construction costs. K Pop star Suga and former MLB pitcher Chan Ho Park are putting together $70 million as an investment into the A’s. Yet in still that may not be enough to cover the balance of the construction costs for the Las Vegas ballpark.

    #5 If Fisher can not meet the costs of building the Las Vegas park and he stated that the park costs could go up from $1.75 billion to $2 billion if that proves too much could you see the other MLB owners putting the pressure on Fisher to sell much like they did with Sternburg?

    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 podcast Tony Renteria: Construction underway at the Tropicana for A’s Vegas ballpark

    Las Vegas Vegas ballpark construction is underway as there was doubt the A’s lack of funding for the construction project could get the project off the ground. (photo by the Las Vegas Review Journal Jul 11, 2025)

    Sacramento A’s podcast Tony Renteria:

    #1 There is video showing that construction is underway at the former Tropicana Hotel and Casino location for the new A’s Las Vegas ballpark on the strip. There were reports that dirt was just being moved around because Sacramento A’s owner John Fisher didn’t have the funds yet to cover the balance of the construction costs but regardless of that status the A’s and the Las Vegas Stadium Authority are moving forward with the conrtruction.

    #2 The contractors are putting rebarb cages in building the foundation and lots of construction activity at the old Tropicana site so it’s evident that the build is underway.

    #3 Fisher is working on selling the MLS San Jose Earthquakes at the tune of $600 million and the recent investments by K pop star Suga and former MLB pitcher Chan Ho Park who are putting in $70 million for minority ownership of the A’s. Still it’s short of the balance and Fisher will have to find investors to make up that balance.

    #4 After the A’s held the ground breaking ceremony at the Tropicana inside a tent with a baseball diamond tray that held dirt they went forward with the shovels in the ground and still there were doubters that this project was going to get underway and some said that this groundbreaking was all for show.

    #5 Next up the questions will be can the A’s complete this stadium project can they get the money to complete the financing and not short change the contractors and builders. Those questions most likely will come up one way or the other the project has started and the A’s will have to see it through.

    Tony Renteria is a Sacramento A’s reporter for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

    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 podcast Barbara Mason: A’s end first half with a series win over Toronto

    Sacramento A’s Jacob Wilson is the first A’s shortstop to start in an All Star Game since Bert Campaneris started for the American League in 1975. (AP News photo)

    Sacramento A’s podcast Barbara Mason:

    1. The Athletics wrapped their three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays winning the series against a very tough team that right now is holding down first place in the American League East.

    2. The A’s had a great offensive game to finish off the series with Austin Wynns, Tyler Soderstrom and Nick Kurtz belting pitches out of the park.

    3.Pitching had so much to do with this win, Jeffrey Springs going 6 2/3 innings and putting this game away it was “Miller TIme” he did what he does just about every time he takes the mound – he sends opposing teams packing.

    4.For while it has been Jacob Wilson as a leading contender for rookie of the year but now there’s a new kid on the block in Nick Kurtz who is now also a contender both of them hitting light standards and a threat every time they take the plate.

    5.Following the All-Star game, the A’s head out to Cleveland for a three-game series with the Guardians next Friday night. With the game this far out, who will start for the A’s is still undecided although probable for the Guardians is Slade Ceccioni.

    Barbara Mason does the A’s podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

    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. 

    A’s Boom Before the Break With 6-3 win over Jays Sends Sacramento into All-Star Smiles

    Sacramento A’s Tyler Soderstrom celebrates in the A’s dugout after hitting a two run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Sun July 13, 2025 (AP News photo)

    Boom Before the Break Sends Sacramento into All-Star Smiles

    By Mauricio Segura

    Just before baseball paused for its midsummer break, the Athletics gave their fans something worth cheering. Under a blazing triple-digit Sacramento sun at Sutter Health Park, the Green and Gold uncorked a thunderous offensive performance and rode dominant pitching to a 6-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays Sunday, closing out the first half of the season with a statement win. With long balls from Austin Wynns, Tyler Soderstrom, and rookie phenom Nick Kurtz, Sacramento took flight early and never looked back.

    Jeffrey Springs continued his recent run of excellence, slicing through Toronto’s potent lineup like a buzzsaw. The left-hander turned in six strong innings, scattering five hits and allowing just three earned runs, two of which came after he had already left the game.

    It was Springs’ seventh win of the season and further proof that he’s found his rhythm after a rocky start in the early days of the season Over his last four starts, Springs has posted a 1.90 ERA, giving the A’s rotation a steady hand it desperately needed.

    The offense wasted no time getting to work. In the second inning, veteran infielder Gio Urshela reached on a single, and catcher Austin Wynns turned on a Jose Berríos fastball and launched it over the left-field wall. It was Wynns’ sixth homer of the year, and it gave Sacramento a 2-0 lead that felt even larger given the way Springs was commanding the mound.

    The third inning brought more fireworks. Rookie Nick Kurtz opened the frame with a double and came around to score when Soderstrom crushed a center-cut fastball for his 18th homer of the year. The 22-year-old catcher has been on a tear, with his power production putting him among the league leaders at his position. His blast gave the A’s a 4-0 cushion and chased Berríos from the game early.

    Toronto’s offense, meanwhile, sputtered. They didn’t record a base runner until the fourth inning and didn’t scratch a run across until the fifth, when Davis Schneider hit a solo home run off Springs. Schneider’s shot briefly gave Toronto life, but Sacramento answered right back in the bottom half.

    A throwing error by reliever Tommy Nance allowed Jacob Wilson to reach second, and Kurtz promptly made the Jays pay. The rookie crushed a two-run homer, his 17th of the season, into the left-center bleachers, pushing the A’s lead to 6-1. Kurtz now leads all MLB rookies in homers and continues to add to what is becoming a very compelling Rookie of the Year resume.

    Kurtz’s home-field dominance is hard to ignore. 12 of his 17 homers have come at Sutter Health Park, and his slugging percentage at home has soared north of .700. With the All-Star break now here, he can take a well-deserved breather after propelling this young Athletics team with his bat and his glove.

    Toronto did mount a bit of a rally late. Addison Barger hit a two-run homer in the seventh off reliever Justin Sterner to pull the Blue Jays within three, but Sean Newcomb and fireballing closer Mason Miller locked things down from there.

    Miller struck out Ernie Clement and coaxed a game-ending double play from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to notch his 19th save of the season. It was a fitting milestone, as it marked the 100th appearance of Miller’s young but electric MLB career.

    Sacramento’s bullpen has been much-maligned throughout the year, but the numbers heading into the break tell a different story. Over the last 20 games, the group has posted a 2.89 ERA and gone 3-0 with six saves. Miller, in particular, has stabilized the ninth inning with his blistering fastball and a strikeout rate that ranks among the best in the league.

    With the win, the Athletics finish the first half at 41-57. It’s a modest record, yes, but one that reflects real progress given the context. After a brutal 1-20 stretch in late spring, the A’s have gone 18-17 over their last 35 games.

    Now, the Athletics hit the All-Star break with momentum, with All-Star selections Brent Rooker and Jacob Wilson set to represent the team in Atlanta. Rooker, will also swing for the fences in the Home Run Derby, becoming the first A’s participant since Matt Olson in 2021.

    There’s still plenty of work ahead in the second half, but if this young squad can keep flexing its muscle and get continued consistency from Springs and the bullpen, Sacramento just might play spoiler in the AL West down the stretch.

    Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

    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 Relocation podcast Daniel Dullum: Contrary to popular belief report says Fisher is still short construction money

    Sacramento A’s owner John Fisher (gold tie) spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony at the former Tropicana Hotel for the A’s future Las Vegas ballpark Mon Jun 23, 2025. A’s president Mark Badain is leaning forward to the far left, Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred is seated to Fisher’s right and to Fisher’s left is Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO Steven Hill. Reports say Fisher is still trying to raise the money to cover the construction costs for the Vegas ballpark. (AP News photo)

    Sacramento A’s Relocation podcast Daniel Dullum:

    #1 According to reports Sacramento A’s owner John Fisher still hasn’t spent the money for the Las Vegas ballpark at the old Tropicana so he could get the $380 million in Nevada State public funds. SB1 was approved to pay for part of the A’s Vegas park going on two years now.

    #2 Fisher said after the A’s ground breaking at the Tropicana that the cost of construction for the new park will now run up to $2 billion and according to reports Fisher doesn’t financially have anything near $1 billion despite being worth $3 billion.

    #3 John Fisher and his family are not going to spend their own money namely the $1.75 billion out of pocket for the ballpark project but are trying to confirm loans from US Bank, Goldman Sachs, investments from K Pop star Suga, former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Chan Ho Park and sale of his MLS team the San Jose Earthquakes.

    #4 It was also reported at the ground break this month in Vegas that the two cranes that were pictured behind Fisher while he was speaking to the media there were rented cranes as props and they were never going to be in use that outside of moving dirt around there is nothing really seriously happening at the old Tropicana property in terms of getting a foundation started.

    #5 Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred who was at the groundbreaking holding a shovel and putting it in the dirt held in a baseball diamond tray said he was confident that the project would go through but critics after the ground breaking said that Manfred should have made sure everything was covered before committing the A’s to Las Vegas but that didn’t happen and the ground breaking looks like a farce.

    Daniel Dullum does the Sacramento A’s Relocation podcasts Sundays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

    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. 

    Athletics post game wrap: Rooker Delivers a Firecracker as the Green and Gold Clutch One Before the Break; Rooker’s 20th delivers 4-3 win over Blue Jays

    Sacramento A’s Brent Rooker (25) is congratulated by teammates Nick Kurtz (16) and Tyler Soderstrom (21) after Rooker’s two run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento on Sat July 12, 2025 (AP News photo)

    Rooker Delivers a Firecracker as the Green and Gold Clutch One Before the Break; Rooker’s 20th delivers 4-3 win over Blue Jays

    By Mauricio Segura

    Sacramento fans got a late-inning show Saturday night as the Athletics rallied past the Blue Jays, 4-3, in a tightrope thriller. It was a win defined by grit, timely slugging, and the kind of bullpen poise the A’s have been yearning for all season. Brent Rooker’s 20th homer of the year, an absolute missile to left-center, turned a tense fifth inning into a party, and the bullpen slammed the door behind him.

    This was more than just a win. It was a momentum-builder heading into the All-Star break, and it came with a dash of redemption, especially against a Blue Jays team that had beaten the A’s in all five prior matchups this season. Sacramento fans, soaking up their team’s debut summer in the capital, had reason to cheer beyond just the home run blasts.

    Rooker’s blast came just after rookie first baseman Nick Kurtz singled, giving the A’s their first lead of the night at 4-2 With that shot, Rooker became the first Athletic since Khris Davis and Matt Olson to hit 20 home runs in three consecutive seasons. His power, already enough to earn him a spot in next week’s Home Run Derby, was once again the difference-maker. But this game had more heroes than just the slugging designated hitter.

    Center fielder Denzel Clarke quietly put together one of his more mature outings. His third-inning single may have traveled only a few feet off the bat, but it set off a chain reaction. He then capitalized on a wild throw to take second, and Lawrence Butler cashed him in with a single to cut Toronto’s early lead in half. Clarke also made a crucial play on defense in the sixth, snagging a liner off the bat of Bo Bichette that had rally written all over it.

    That sixth inning was the beginning of a five-arm relay by the A’s bullpen that held a dangerous Blue Jays lineup to just one run over four innings. After Jacob Lopez grinded through five frames, allowing two runs and scattering five hits, the bullpen stepped in.

    Elvis Alvarado, Michael Kelly, Sean Newcomb and Mason Miller combined for four innings of one-run ball. Miller, as he’s done time and again this season, closed it out in the ninth with his signature upper-90s heat and a pair of strikeouts, earning his 18th save and preserving the win.

    It wasn’t all smooth sailing. The A’s were outhit 7-6 and missed a couple of early scoring chances. Kevin Gausman had Sacramento’s young lineup looking overmatched through four innings. But the Green and Gold hung tough, aided by a pair of costly catcher interference calls, both against Toronto’s Tyler Heineman, that gave the Athletics extra outs and kept innings alive. Those moments don’t show up in the highlight reels, but they mattered.

    And then there was the quiet steadiness of Miguel Andujar. Coming off the injured list earlier in the week, Andujar broke out of an 0-for-14 slump with two hits and a stolen base, injecting life into the middle of the order. Pinch-runner Max Schuemann came in for him in the eighth and swiped second with ease, setting the table for an insurance run that never came but wasn’t needed.

    Toronto made things interesting in the eighth when Alejandro Kirk hit a sacrifice fly to bring the Jays within one, but Newcomb’s strikeout of Addison Barger ended the threat. The Blue Jays got the tying run aboard in the ninth, but Mason Miller made sure it didn’t matter, striking out Ernie Clement and George Springer in succession to send the crowd home buzzing.

    With the win, the Athletics improve to 40 and 57, snapping a two-game skid and avoiding a season sweep at the hands of the Jays. They’re still anchored to the bottom of the AL West, but this is not the same team that lost 20 of 21 earlier in the year. There’s energy now. Swagger. And a rookie class that looks like it belongs.

    Kurtz continues to pace MLB rookies in home runs, Butler is heating up again after a midweek lull, and Clarke, despite his strikeouts, is showing flashes of becoming a dynamic two-way threat. The young core is working together, and if Rooker keeps swinging like this, it’s only going to get more fun in Sacramento.

    Starting pitchers for Sunday for the Blue Jays RHP Jose Berrios (5-3 ERA 3.53) for the A’s LHP Jeffrey Springs (7-6 ERA 3.92) a 1:05pm PDT.

    Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

    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.