CBS News (09/26/24) Sharp, Ashley
The Oakland Athletics won their last-ever home game and will play next season in Sacramento. The team announced this past spring it would make a temporary move next season to the state capital's Sutter Health Park for at least the next three years before their eventual move to Las Vegas after a new stadium is built. The fact that the A's and the minor-league Sacramento River Cats will share a field at Sutter Health Park has stirred some controversy. Also garnering headlines is the new artificial turf field that will replace the existing grass field at the stadium. Because both teams combined will play more than 150 games there next season, the teams ruled it would be impossible for grounds crews to maintain a grass field. Consequently, it was decided that they will install artificial turf in the infield and outfield, which both players and agents have criticized. Sacramento summers can be very hot, and heat and artificial turf have notoriously not mixed well in the past with temperatures on the field greatly exceeding forecast temperatures. There are five other MLB teams that presently play on artificial turf. But they all have either a domed stadium or a retractable roof. The A's in Sacramento would be the only team playing on turf in the league without that added layer of summer heat protection.
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