A’s finally create signature moment at Sutter Health Park. Here’s how it happened
In a season that’s been defined by the awkwardness of their temporary surroundings, the Athletics haven’t had many moments of joy in West Sacramento. They came into Monday’s game with the third-lowest home winning percentage in the Major Leagues and have been rutted in last place since late May in their first season since departing Oakland.
Sutter Health Park hasn’t been a house of horrors for visitors, who had hit more home runs there than in any other road ballpark in the American League before Monday. The A’s are unabashedly a team doing everything for the future, including constructing their new stadium in Las Vegas 400 miles away while trying to develop their roster to compete for the playoffs beyond 2025.
But on Monday, there was a feeling of bliss in the warm summer air.
A’s catcher Shea Langeliers continued his run as one of baseball’s hottest hitters since the All-Star break, crushing a 450-foot go-ahead grand slam in the seventh inning against reigning Cy Young and pitching triple crown winner Tarik Skubal to give the A’s one of their best wins of the season. They beat the Detroit Tigers (78-55), owners of the best record in the AL, 8-3.
“It was one of the cooler moments I’ve had being in the big leagues,” Langeliers said. “Skubal is so good. He’s the best pitcher in the sport.”
Langeliers turned around a 98-mile-per-hour fastball from the talented left-hander that measured 110 miles-per-hour off the bat. The A’s dugout erupted, Skubal could be seen yelling “No!” as soon as Langeliers hit it, and the contingent of Tigers fans that gave Skubal standing ovations after each inning were left in disbelief.
“The cliche (of) ‘you don’t feel it off the bat,’ it’s kinda like that,” Langeliers said. “It feels like everything lines up perfect and the ball just jumps. You feel on top of the world there for a minute.”
Langeliers was the last hitter that Skubal faced. He exited after allowing six runs (one earned, with the grand slam coming after an error that helped load the bases), and struck out 12. Skubal came into the game with a 5.9 WAR, the highest among all pitchers. It’s the fourth best in the league behind position players Aaron Judge (7.3), Cal Raleigh (7.3) and Bobby Witt Jr. (6.5).
He got the better of Langeliers on the prior three matchups, which included a pair of strikeouts. The second of which included Langeliers hitting a long foul ball and the A’s production team incorrectly hitting the home run effect with the stadium lights.
The grand slam was Langeliers’ league-leading 17th home run since the All-Star break. A’s manager Mark Kotsay made a case that only Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who hit his 50th homer of the season on Monday and is a top MVP candidate, has had a better season for a catcher than Langeliers.
“Shea has done everything to put himself, in my opinion, and I hope (Mark) DeRosa watches this, but in the (World Baseball Classic) conversation, really, to make that roster,” Kotsay said. “He’s continuing to get better and better.”
When Kotsay’s words were relayed to Langeliers, he said, “I think that’s one of the greatest honors if you’re able to play with USA on your chest.”
The A’s scored seven of their eight runs on three homers. Colby Thomas led off the seventh inning with a home run against Skubal and Nick Kurtz came off the bench to hit a pinch-hit two-run shot in the eighth. Starter J.T. Ginn nearly matched Skubal in strikeouts, finishing with eight in 5 1/3 innings, and had arguably his best outing since July 27.
“You’re going to have to have your good stuff if you want to get a win,” Ginn said about pitching against Skubal, “and you’re gonna have to keep the score low.”
The A’s improved to 61-72 and have won seven of their last 10 games. The two teams will play the second game of their series on Tuesday. The A’s had not formally announced a starter but Kotsay said before the game they might use right-hander Osvaldo Bido (2-4, 5.37) as an opener due to injuries in the starting rotation. The Tigers will counter Charlie Morton (9-10, 5.09).
This story was originally published August 25, 2025 at 11:24 PM.
