The team once known as the Oakland Athletics has started playing its home games in West Sacramento. This is a temporary move as they prepare to relocate to a new stadium on The Strip in Las Vegas. To build a fanbase in Las Vegas, the Athletics scheduled six games at Las Vegas Ballpark this week. Typically, this stadium hosts the Las Vegas Aviators, a Triple-A team affiliated with the Texas Rangers. It’s located in the Summerlin area of Las Vegas Valley, near the mountains. This means the stadium is over 3,000 feet high.
On Monday night, the outcome at Las Vegas Ballpark was wild despite the stadium’s larger dimensions compared to other MLB ballparks. The game finished with an unusual 15-14 score after 12 innings, marking only the 18th occurrence since 1900. This scoreline has only happened twice since 2000, the last time in 2019. The game was the highest scoring of the year by a notable margin. For instance, the Giants defeated the Rockies 19-6 in Colorado on May 31.
Unusual scores weren’t the only surprise. The Athletics and Brewers combined for 11 home runs, with the Athletics hitting seven. Tyler Soderstrom and Nick Kurtz, both left-handed hitters, each hit two home runs. Overall, the teams accumulated 31 hits, used 14 different pitchers, and threw 441 pitches, the highest of the season. During the game’s 10th inning, the Brewers scored four runs, only to have the Athletics equalize by scoring four in return.
The elevation played a significant role in the game’s dynamics, allowing for several extreme home runs. Brewers catcher William Contreras hit a 463-foot home run, the second longest of the year, amusingly falling to his backside during the process.
Additionally, a particularly unexpected home run occurred. Down 14-11 in the 10th, Nick Kurtz launched a 447-foot home run with a 110 mph exit velocity, bringing the score to 14-13. Following Kurtz, Athletics’ catcher Jonah Heim pinch-hit a routine pop-up, which unexpectedly carried 398 feet over the fence with only 94.6 mph exit velocity.
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Contreras, experienced in hundreds of professional games, misjudged Heim’s hit, expecting an out. Yet, at Las Vegas Ballpark, it resulted in a home run. According to MLB’s Statcast, this hit was a home run in none of the 30 MLB ballparks, with an expected batting average of .000.
The move to Las Vegas demonstrates a significant adjustment for the team and the league. The new stadium, set on The Strip, is slightly lower at about 2,300 feet, compared to Summerlin’s 3,000 feet. Despite this, the ball is anticipated to fly out with ease, promising more high-scoring games once the team settles for the 2028 season.
The stadium’s roof might manage some effects, especially when closed during hot months. However, games like the recent one hint at a future where Athletics pitchers face frustration, while hitters gain frequency on fantasy baseball lists.
Written by Ian Miller at OutKick.
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