Sutter Health Park – Sacramento River Cats
- David Hegler
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Photos by David Hegler, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57
Sutter Health Park 400 Ballpark Dr West Sacramento, CA 95691
Year Opened: 2000
Capacity: 14,014
Capitol Cats
The Sacramento River Cats have played on the banks of the Sacramento River in Sutter Health Park since 2000 and have been developing talent for Bay Area teams ever since. They were the Oakland A’s minor league affiliate from 2000 to 2014 and have been the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants ever since 2015. Along the way, the River Cats have won 12 division titles, seven conference titles and five league titles, the latest of each being in 2019.
Sutter Health Park has rarely strayed from its original capacity of just over 14,000 with more than 10, 600 seats and large sections of grass to sit on by the outfield as mainstays in the ballparks configuration.
Seeking a brighter future in Las Vegas, the A’s have moved into Sutter Health Park for the next couple of years and share the facility with the River Cats. Due to their move, the A’s renovated the quarter-century old park in the 2025 offseason, adding new baseball themed lights and a clubhouse behind the left field wall, as well as a video board that should be the envy of the minor leagues.
Food & Beverage 4
Spread throughout the ballpark are restaurants that meet the palate of virtually anyone who has an appetite. Places such as the Golden Spike Chophouse, the Cadillac Diner, Coop & Kennel Pub serve a variety of delicacies. Sutter Health Park sells Tri-Tip sandwiches for $18 while also offering standard ballpark grub such as hot dogs for $7-$12 and cheeseburger and fries for $16 to hungry River Cats fans.
Atmosphere 5
From the moment you walk into the ballpark, you are greeted by numerous guest services representatives who are clad in Hawaiian shirts. From this look alone, it is clear that Sutter Health Park’s operators main goal is to entertain the fans. At the night of this review, it was Dino Night, so all through the game, the crowd was encouraged to dance to some tunes in imitation of dinosaurs while the film crew showed their moves on the jumbotron. During a break in the action, several people in dinosaur mascot suits (including Barney) went on the field and danced in front of the crowd.
Guest services tosses out free t-shirts and rubber baseballs to the crowd. At the end of the evening, the crowd is invited to stick around for the fireworks show that often accompanies weekend games. It is the perfect way to end the evening.
The seating consists of two levels, with most of the upper deck designated as suite seating. The most striking feature at Sutter Health Park is the bright yellow Tower Bridge beyond the right field.
Neighborhood 3
With the ballpark being just down the road from City Hall, that part of West Sacramento is pretty congested with traffic and construction being a constant. Still, it’s a pretty safe place to go to a game.
Just across the Sacramento River are several excellent restaurant options for before or after the game such as Joe’s Crab Shack and the Firehouse Restaurant.
Embassy Suites by Hilton Sacramento and the Delta King Hotel are in the same neighborhood.
Culturally, Sacramento has a lot to offer as well. You can go to the state capitol for a tour, check out the Crocker Art Museum or the California State Railroad Museum. For other sports in town during baseball season, you may be able to see the NBA Sacramento Kings, the USLC Sacramento Republic FC, a Sacrament State Hornets baseball game, or an MLB Athletics game (for the next few seasons).
Fans 4
Even with Sacramento suffering through an intense heat during our visit, there were plenty of fans in the stands this Saturday afternoon, with nearly three-quarters of the grandstands filled. The fans are enthusiastic throughout the contest and the place is a constant celebration of the game as guest services are always keeping the crowd on its toes with different events and ball/t-shirt tosses held throughout.
Access 4
Parking is aplenty at Sutter Health Park and the prices are remarkably affordable. There’s a ride-share lot just across the street where Uber and Lyft drivers can drop and pick you up too. While there is a security check-point upon entry, the line is almost non-existent.
As you walk the concourse, lights molded in the shape of half of a baseball adorn and decorate the area. The bathrooms are clean and spacious.
Return on Investment 3
Sutter Health Park and the Sacramento River Cats offer an affordable time watching America’s pastime. The grandstand goes anywhere from $30 to $45 while the section directly behind home plate is $125. The outfield grass section costs between $16 to $20. Parking goes for $15 to $24.
Extras 2
Quite possibly the neatest extra in the whole ballpark is the grass area in the outfield where fans can watch the games from the comfort of their own blankets or lawn chairs (depending on the height). There are numerous trees in the back where folks who can’t stand the oppressive sun can lounge with a terrific view of the game still in their sights.
The Athletics spent a lot of time and money to give Sutter Health Park the best video board in the minors and it does not disappoint. The picture is perfectly clear and the visual effects are alluring on the massive 75 feet by 32 feet video board.
Final Thoughts
Sutter Health Park has a remarkably welcoming environment that is always fully prepared to give River Cats fans the very best experience possible.
From a history buff’s perspective, this site is certainly alluring. The center field wall looks like a miniature version of the Polo Grounds and the baseball-themed lights aligned throughout the concourse are a design as old as Ebbets Field. To top it off, one of the ballpark’s largest luxury suites, the Solon Club, is named after the Sacramento Solons, a team from the old PCL. Sutter Health Park is a terrific blend of old and new, you just have to look close enough.
Comments