Sacramento River Cats

The Sacramento River Cats are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and are the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Prior to 2015, the River Cats were the Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics for 15 seasons.^[2] They are based in West Sacramento, California, and play their home games at Sutter Health Park, which opened in 2000 and was known as Raley Field through 2019.

Sacramento River Cats
Founded in 2000 West Sacramento, California
Team logo Cap insignia
Minor league affiliations
Class	Triple-A (2000–present)
League	Pacific Coast League (2000–present)
Division	West Division
Major league affiliations
Team	San Francisco Giants (2015–present)
Previous teams	Oakland Athletics (2000–2014)
Minor league titles
Class titles (3)	2007 2008 2019
League titles (5)	2003 2004 2007 2008 2019
Conference titles (7)	2003 2004 2007 2008 2009 2011 2019
Division titles (12)	2000 2001 2003 2004 2005 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2019
Team data
Name	Sacramento River Cats (2000–present)
Colors	Black, brick red, gold
Mascot	Dinger
Ballpark	Sutter Health Park (2000–present)
Owner(s)/ Operator(s)	Vivek Ranadivé
General manager	Chip Maxson
Manager	Dave Brundage[1]

Sacramento was previously represented in the Pacific Coast League by the Solons, a charter member of the league which was founded in 1903. Three different versions of the Solons played in California's capital city in 1903, 1905, from 1909 to 1914, from 1918 to 1960, and from 1974 to 1976. The River Cats have played in the PCL since 2000, including the 2021 season in which it was known as the Triple-A West, and are the only charter city to still host a PCL team.

The River Cats have won five PCL championships. Recently they won the league crown in 2019; previously they won back-to-back in 2007 and 2008. They went on to win the Triple-A National Championship Game in all three seasons. Sacramento also won the PCL title in 2003 and 2004.

History

Following the 1999 season, the Pacific Coast League's Vancouver Canadians were purchased by a group led by Art Savage, moved south to West Sacramento, and renamed the River Cats for the 2000 season. Savage was the majority owner of the team until his death at age 58 in November 2009. His widow, Susan Savage, became majority owner after her husband's death.^[3]

In 2016, Mike Piazza became the first and only former River Cats player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, after earning an 83% vote by the committee. Piazza played three games in Sacramento as part of a 2007 rehab assignment before rejoining the Oakland Athletics.^[4][5][6][7]

In conjunction with Major League Baseball's restructuring of Minor League Baseball in 2021, the River Cats were organized into the Triple-A West.^[8] They also entered into a new 10-year Professional Development License agreement to remain the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants through 2030.^[9] Sacramento ended the season in fourth place in the Western Division with a 52–65 record.^[10] No playoffs were held to determine a league champion; instead, the team with the best regular-season record was declared the winner.^[11] However, 10 games that had been postponed from the start of the season were reinserted into the schedule as a postseason tournament called the Triple-A Final Stretch in which all 30 Triple-A clubs competed for the highest winning percentage.^[11] Sacramento finished the tournament tied for 20th place with a 4–6 record.^[12] In 2022, the Triple-A West became known as the Pacific Coast League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization.^[13]

In August 2022, owner Susan Savage sold a majority interest in the team to the Sacramento Kings.^[14]

In April 2024, it was announced that the major-league Oakland Athletics will be moving to Sacramento to play their home games at Sutter Health Park in 2025.^[15] The River Cats announced that, tentatively, they will remain as well, playing at Sutter Health Park on days when the Athletics are not playing there.^[16]

Season-by-season records

Table key

League	The team's final position in the league standings
Division	The team's final position in the divisional standings
GB	Games behind the team that finished in first place in the division that season
‡	Class champions (2000–present)
†	League champions (2000–present)
§	Conference champions (2000–2020)
*	Division champions (2000–present)

Season-by-season records

Season	League	Regular-season					Postseason			MLB affiliate	Ref.
		Record	Win %	League	Division	GB	Record	Win %	Result
2000 *	PCL	90–54	.625	2nd	1st	—	2–3	.400		Won Pacific Conference Southern Division title Lost Pacific Conference title vs. Salt Lake Buzz, 3–2[17]	Oakland Athletics	[18]
2001 *	PCL	75–69	.521	5th	1st	—	2–3	.400	Won Pacific Conference Southern Division title Lost Pacific Conference title vs. Tacoma Rainiers, 3–2[19]	Oakland Athletics	[20]
2002	PCL	66–78	.458	14th	3rd	19	—	—	—	Oakland Athletics	[21]
2003 * § †	PCL	92–52	.639	1st	1st	—	6–0	1.000	Won Pacific Conference Southern Division title Won Pacific Conference title vs. Edmonton Trappers, 3–0 Won PCL championship vs. Nashville Sounds, 3–0[22]	Oakland Athletics	[23]
2004 * § †	PCL	79–65	.549	5th	1st	—	6–1	.857	Won Pacific Conference Southern Division title Won Pacific Conference title vs. Portland Beavers, 3–1 Won PCL championship vs. Iowa Cubs, 3–0[24]	Oakland Athletics	[25]
2005 *	PCL	80–64	.556	2nd (tie)	1st	—	2–3	.400	Won Pacific Conference Southern Division title Lost Pacific Conference title vs. Tacoma Rainiers, 3–2	Oakland Athletics	[26]
2006	PCL	78–66	.542	4th	2nd	13	—	—	—	Oakland Athletics	[27]
2007 * § † ‡	PCL	84–60	.583	2nd	1st	—	7–2	.778	Won Pacific Conference Southern Division title Won Pacific Conference title vs. Salt Lake Bees, 3–2 Won PCL championship vs. New Orleans Zephyrs, 3–0 Won Triple-A championship vs. Richmond Braves[28]	Oakland Athletics	[29]
2008 * § † ‡	PCL	83–61	.576	3rd	1st	—	7–2	.778	Won Pacific Conference Southern Division title Won Pacific Conference title vs. Salt Lake Bees, 3–1 Won PCL championship vs. Oklahoma RedHawks, 3–1 Won Triple-A championship vs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees[30]	Oakland Athletics	[31]
2009 * §	PCL	86–57	.601	1st	1st	—	3–4	.429	Won Pacific Conference Southern Division title Won Pacific Conference title vs. Tacoma Rainiers, 3–1 Lost PCL championship vs. Memphis Redbirds, 3–0	Oakland Athletics	[32]
2010 *	PCL	79–65	.549	4th	1st	—	2–3	.400	Won Pacific Conference Southern Division title Lost Pacific Conference title vs. Tacoma Rainiers, 3–2	Oakland Athletics	[33]
2011 * §	PCL	88–56	.611	1st	1st	—	3–5	.375	Won Pacific Conference Southern Division title Won Pacific Conference title vs. Reno Aces, 3–2 Lost PCL championship vs. Omaha Storm Chasers, 3–0	Oakland Athletics	[34]
2012 *	PCL	86–58	.597	1st	1st	—	2–3	.400	Won Pacific Conference Southern Division title Lost Pacific Conference title vs. Reno Aces, 3–2	Oakland Athletics	[35]
2013	PCL	79–65	.549	3rd	2nd	2	—	—	—	Oakland Athletics	[36]
2014	PCL	79–65	.549	4th	2nd	2	—	—	—	Oakland Athletics	[37]
2015	PCL	71–73	.493	9th	2nd	13+1⁄2	—	—	—	San Francisco Giants	[38]
2016	PCL	69–75	.479	12th	4th	12+1⁄2	—	—	—	San Francisco Giants	[39]
2017	PCL	64–77	.454	14th	4th	15+1⁄2	—	—	—	San Francisco Giants	[40]
2018	PCL	55–85	.393	15th	4th	27+1⁄2	—	—	—	San Francisco Giants	[41]
2019 * § † ‡	PCL	73–67	.521	7th	1st	—	7–2	.778	Won Pacific Conference Northern Division title Won Pacific Conference title vs. Las Vegas Aviators, 3–2 Won PCL championship vs. Round Rock Express, 3–0 Won Triple-A championship vs. Columbus Clippers	San Francisco Giants	[42]
2020	PCL	Season cancelled (COVID-19 pandemic)[43]								San Francisco Giants	[44]
2021	AAAW	52–65	.444	7th	4th	19+1⁄2	4–6	.400	Lost series vs. Salt Lake Bees, 4–1 Won series vs. Albuquerque Isotopes, 3–2 Placed 20th (tie) in the Triple-A Final Stretch[12]	San Francisco Giants	[10]
2022	PCL	65–83	.439	9th	5th	20	—	—	—	San Francisco Giants	[45]
2023	PCL	67–82	.450	8th	5th	20+1⁄2	—	—	—	San Francisco Giants	[46]
Totals	—	1,740–1,542	.530	—	—	—	53–37	.589	—	—	—

Attendance

Raley Field in 2007

River Cats at Raley Field in 2007

River Cats players in 2007

After arriving at Raley Field in 2000, the River Cats led minor leagues in attendance for nine straight seasons.^[47]

In 2015, the team drew 672,354 fans in 72 home games, leading the minor league in total attendance. In 2015, they also drew the second highest attendance per game in the minors with an average of 9,338 fans per game.^[48]

For the 2017 season, the team drew 562,237 fans in 70 home games, placing them third in overall attendance for the Pacific Coast League.

Year	Total Attendance	Average
2000	861,808	11,969
2001	901,214	12,516
2002	817,317	11,351
2003	766,326	10,643
2004	751,156	10,432
2005	755,750	10,496
2006	728,227	10,256
2007	710,235	10,003
2008	700,168	9,724
2009	657,095	9,126
2010	657,910	9,138
2011	600,306	8,455
2012	586,090	8,140
2013	607,329	8,435
2014	607,839	8,561
2015	672,354	9,338
2016	609,666	8,587
2017	562,237	8,032
2018	538,785	7,808
2019	549,440	7,849[49]
2020	n/a	n/a
2021	256,714	4,043[50]
2022	372,769	4,970[51]
2023	388,246	5,177[52]

Playoff history

The River Cats have won 12 division titles, including back-to-back titles in 2000 and 2001, three years in a row from 2003 to 2005, and six consecutive titles from 2007 to 2012. In 2019, the River Cats snapped a six-year playoff drought by winning the Pacific Northern Division.

With respect to league championships, the team has won four: 2003, 2004, 2007, and 2008. In 2007, they defeated the Richmond Braves in that year's Bricktown Showdown by a score of 7–1. In 2008 they defeated the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, 4–1.

Roster

Sacramento River Cats roster

• v
• t
• e

Players				Coaches/Other
Pitchers 34 Tanner Andrews 40 Mason Black * 46 Raymond Burgos 15 Kyle Cody 28 Reggie Crawford 39 José Cruz 92 R.J. Dabovich 51 Justin Garza 35 Evan Gates 60 Clay Helvey 38 Kolton Ingram * 46 Trevor McDonald * 18 Tyler Myrick 55 Carson Ragsdale 29 Tommy Romero 75 Landen Roupp * 58 Juan Sanchez 43 Carson Seymour 51 Ethan Small #* 54 Cody Stashak 13 Drew Strotman 53 Kai-Wei Teng * 52 Austin Warren * 39 Carson Whisenhunt		Catchers 23 Jakson Reetz 21 Blake Sabol * Infielders  9 Brett Auerbach 56 Trenton Brooks 31 Christian Koss 32 David Villar * 19 Donovan Walton  2 Will Wilson Outfielders 48 Hunter Bishop 26 Luis Matos * 75 Grant McCray  7 Wade Meckler *		Manager 45 Dave Brundage Coaches  8 Jolbert Cabrera (fundamentals) 37 Damon Minor (hitting) 16 Alain Quijano (pitching) 50 Rob Riggins (assistant hitting) 60-day injured list 17 Yusniel Díaz (full season) 76 Blayne Enlow (full season) 25 Dariel Lopez 49 Chase Pinder 61 Thomas Szapucki -- Cole Waites 89 Chris Wright (full season) 7-day injured list * On San Francisco Giants 40-man roster ~ Development list # Rehab assignment ∞ Reserve list ‡ Restricted list § Suspended list † Temporarily inactive list Roster updated August 6, 2024 Transactions → More rosters: MiLB • Pacific Coast League → San Francisco Giants minor league players

Players

See: Category:Sacramento River Cats players

References

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33. "2010 Pacific Coast League". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
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43. "2020 Minor League Baseball Season Shelved". Minor League Baseball. June 30, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
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48. The Sacramento Bee^{[permanent dead link]}.
49. "2019 Affiliated Attendance by Average". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. September 9, 2019. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
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51. Reichard, Kevin (October 12, 2022). "2022 MiLB attendance by average". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
52. Reichard, Kevin (October 16, 2023). "2023 MiLB attendance by average". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. Retrieved April 5, 2023.

External links

• Official website
• Statistics from Baseball-Reference