Shaded Seats at Sutter Health Park

Sutter Health Park is home to the Sacramento River Cats and the temporary home of the Athletics. The A’s departed their longtime home at the Oakland Coliseum after the 2024 season and are currently in limbo without a permanent stadium. In the meantime, the Athletics will make Sacramento their home. Even though it’s farther north, Sacramento is considerably warmer than Oakland, especially during the summer months. A’s and River Cats fans should use this guide along with the stadium’s seating chart to find the best shaded seats at Sutter Health Park.

Where are the shaded seats at Sutter Health Park?

Generally, the seats in the shade at Sutter Health Park are located:

• Behind Home Plate: The first seats to become shaded
• 3rd Base Line: Increasingly becomes shaded during the afternoon

In the 2026 season, about three-quarters of A’s games start in the evening at 6:40 p.m. or 7:05 p.m. The River Cats start a bit earlier at 6:45 p.m. The A’s also have quite a few day games scheduled for 12:05 p.m. and 1:05 p.m., with a handful of other start times mixed in as well. For specific details about shaded sections at different start times, please continue reading.

Sutter Health Park Orientation to the Sun

Sutter Health Park is oriented to the northeast. Each morning the sun rises behind right field, curves around home plate after lunchtime, and sets in the evening behind the left field corner. This orientation makes the 3rd base line the “shade side” of the ballpark and the 1st base line and outfield lawn the sunny spots.

The graphic below shows the approximate location of the sun throughout the day on July 1st (halfway through the MLB season).

See an interactive seating chart for the next event at Sutter Health Park

Seats in the Shade at Early Afternoon A’s and River Cats Games

Shade is sparse for early day games in Sacramento. Between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m., the sun is positioned over the 1st base side of the park. However, it is so high in the sky that very few sections have any barrier to block the sun’s rays. Sutter Health Park has a fairly simple seating layout with almost all seats at field level (100-level) and suites and a small number of club seats on the upper level (200-level). In the early innings of a day game, only the seats at the very back of sections 103-105 are under the overhang of the club level seats. If you’re seated anywhere else at field level, you’ll be battling the sun for at least the first few innings.

Between 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., the sun will begin to rotate around home plate, and as it dips, some shade will start to appear behind home plate. Sections 109-113 will be the first to receive consistent shade. Choose a seat in the back quarter of the section if possible, as the suites and press box behind will provide a physical barrier to the sun’s rays.

By late-afternoon the 3rd base side of the stadium is entirely shaded. Seats down the 1st base side and in right field are in the path of the setting sun.
RGB Ventures / SuperStock / Alamy Stock Photo

Seats in the Shade at Evening A’s and River Cats Games

Fans have a much easier time finding a shaded seat for an evening game. However, sunset in Sacramento isn’t until approximately 8:30 p.m. during the longest days of summer, so shade is still critical, whether it’s for a River Cats game at 6:45 p.m. or an Athletics game at 7:05 p.m. By the evening hours, seats behind home plate and along the 3rd base line are shaded. Choose any seat in sections 109-122 for shade.

Seats along the 1st base line remain sunny the longest. This includes sections 101-107 and club sections 201-206. The home run hill near the right field foul pole and behind the right field bullpens will also stay sunny and in the path of the sun until sunset. Also, be cautious with the small sections 123-125 on the 3rd base line. These extend past the structure that blocks the sun for most other sections on this side. The sun won’t be in your eyes, but you might still feel its heat on the back of your neck.

Ready to buy shaded seats at Sutter Health Park?

Use the individual game links or click or tap here to see the Sutter Health Park upcoming game list. Learn about why we recommend buying MLB tickets on SeatGeek.