![\"Maximus](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1778763668_826_SAC_7666_DRH_250704_AsAtmosphere.JPG\" "\\"Maximus")
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Maximus Montilla leans on the right field fence before the San Fransisco Giants first game against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on Friday, July 4, 2025.<\/p>\n
DANIEL HEUER<\/p>\n
Sacramento Bee file<\/p>\n
The Bay Area rivalry might be a thing of the past, but games between the Giants and A\u2019s always feel notable to Northern California baseball fans.<\/p>\n
The next chapter begins Friday, when San Francisco comes to West Sacramento for a three-game weekend series at Sutter Health Park.<\/p>\n
The A\u2019s have gotten off to a better start to their season thanks to a potent lineup overcoming their mediocre pitching staff.<\/p>\n
The Giants, meanwhile, have struggled out of the gates with first-year manager Tony Vitello, who saw his team win the first two games of a four-game road series against the defending World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers this week but lost 4-0 on Wednesday night with superstar Shohei Ohtani pitching seven shutout innings for the Dodgers.<\/p>\n
The atmosphere should be lively at Sutter Health Park in what will be one of the most attended series of the season in West Sacramento.<\/p>\n
Role reversal for A\u2019s and Giants<\/p>\n
When the Giants and A\u2019s last met, July 4 weekend of last season, the standings looked far different for each team.<\/p>\n
The Giants entered series with a record of 47-41 and were in the thick of the National League playoff race, within two games of a wild card spot. The A\u2019s were well out of playoff contention, last place in the American League West division at 36-53.<\/p>\n
The A\u2019s won on July 4<\/a>, but the Giants took the next two games and the series. The Giants also swept the A\u2019s in San Francisco last May.<\/p>\n Just over a quarter of the way through 2026, it\u2019s now the A\u2019s looking far more likely than the Giants to make the postseason.<\/p>\n With a 22-20 record, the A\u2019s ended Wednesday in first place in the AL West \u2014 and they\u2019ll enter the Giants series in first place regardless of the result of Thursday\u2019s day game vs. the St. Louis Cardinals, as they lead the Texas Rangers by 1 1\/2 games. The Giants are 18-25, the third-worst record in the National League.<\/p>\n Can Kurtz continue his streak?<\/p>\n Nick Kurtz extended his Major League-leading on-base streak to 36 games on Wednesday when he belted a grand slam in the sixth inning of the A\u2019s 6-2 win against the St. Louis Cardinals. It was the reigning American League Rookie of the Year\u2019s sixth home run on the season, and third grand slam of his short career.<\/p>\n The streak is the longest active in the big leagues and the longest by an A\u2019s hitter since Jack Cust had a 40-game streak from late in 2008 to April 2009. The franchise record is owned by Mark McGwire, who had a 62-game streak from September 1995 to June 1996.<\/p>\n The A\u2019s are seeing a noticeable increase in their attendance in their second season in West Sacramento. They\u2019re averaging 10,509 fans per game through Wednesday, up almost 11% from last season\u2019s 9,487 at Sutter Health Park. The weekend series is expected to be sold out given the Giants remain the most popular team in the region.<\/p>\n The increase in attendance can be attributed to a few changes from 2025.<\/p>\n Notably, the A\u2019s have made more of an effort to embrace their temporary home and have Sacramento themed giveaways and activations on Saturdays when they wear their new gold jerseys with \u201cSacramento\u201d across the chest.<\/p>\n They\u2019ve also been in first place in the AL West for the majority of the season, and came into Wednesday\u2019s action as one of four teams in the AL with a winning record.<\/p>\n Finally, ticket prices have normalized after they were among the most expensive in MLB last season<\/a>. Get-in prices for the three weekend games start at $66 for access to the lawn area in right field. There will be a K-Pop themed fireworks show after Friday\u2019s game, a cross-body bag giveaway on Saturday and a kids socks giveaway Sunday.<\/p>\n A Bolte strike to the lineup?<\/p>\n Up-and-coming prospect Henry Bolte, a Palo Alto native and second-round draft pick in 2022, had an eventful first Major League appearance on Wednesday. He got his first big league hit in his first at-bat with a hard ground ball that got past Cardinals third baseman Nolan Gorman, and added another infield hit two innings later. He finished 2-for-2 with a walk and an RBI on a sacrifice fly.<\/p>\n His time in center field was an adventure, misplaying a line drive from Alex Burleson that went for a double over his head, and then allowing a pop fly to drop in shallow center in what appeared to be a miscommunication with left fielder Brent Rooker in the ninth. Sandwiched between those mistakes was a diving grab on a sinking line drive by Gorman in the sixth.<\/p>\n Suffice to say, Bolte will make his mark with the A\u2019s with his bat while he continues to progress defensively. He was called up this week after leading all minor leaguers in runs (41), hits (55) and total bases (104). His 12 home runs were the most in the Pacific Coast League and his 17 stolen bases ranked second.<\/p>\n Missing Sacramento connections for the Giants<\/p>\n All-Star pitcher and Rocklin High School alum Logan Webb landed on the 15-day injured list this month due to right knee bursitis and will miss the weekend series in his hometown. It\u2019s the first time Webb, the Giants\u2019 ace, has been on the injured list in five years.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, catcher Daniel Susac, a Roseville native who went to Jesuit High School in Carmichael, has been on a rehab assignment with the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats after dealing with right elbow neuritis. Susac has a chance to earn more of a role with the Giants when he\u2019s recalled after the team traded top catcher Patrick Bailey to the Cleveland Guardians on May 9.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Sacramento Bee<\/p>\n![\"Athletics](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SAC_4373_260404_JV_As_Astros.JPG\" "\\"SAC_4373_260404_JV_As_Astros.JPG\\"")
Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz hits a single in the eighth inning of a game Saturday, April 4, against the Houston Astros at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento. The team debuted its gold \u201cSacramento\u201d alternate jerseys, also giving them away to fans in attendance. JOS\u00c9 LUIS VILLEGAS jvillegas@sacbee.com Attendance will continue to climb<\/p>\n![\"Athletics](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0479_260304_JV_A's_Astros.jpg\" "\\"0479_260304_JV_A's_Astros.jpg\\"")
Athletics and Houston Astros players stand on the first and third base lines during the playing of the national anthem on Opening Day, on Friday, April 3, at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento. JOS\u00c9 LUIS VILLEGAS jvillegas@sacbee.com <\/p>\n![\"Athletics](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2276135206-GI.JPG\" "\\"2276135206-GI.JPG\\"")
Athletics outfielder Henry Bolte is congratulated by manager Mark Kotsay after Bolte hit a sacrifice fly scoring Nick Kurtz against the St. Louis Cardinals in the bottom of the seventh inning Wednesday at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento during Bolte\u2019s first MLB game. Thearon W. Henderson Getty Images <\/p>\n![\"San](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SAC_7252_HA_250704_ASVsGiants.JPG\" "\\"SAC_7252_HA_250704_ASVsGiants.JPG\\"")
San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb looks into the crowd during a baseball game against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on Friday, July 4, 2025. HECTOR AMEZCUA hamezcua@sacbee.com <\/p>\n
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