When Aaron Judge strolled into a pregame conversation with Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty ahead of Friday’s Yankees-A’s matchup, he brought something the city’s MLB expansion campaign desperately needed: star power and genuine enthusiasm.
The Yankees slugger from Linden spent time before the game discussing Sacramento’s push for a Major League Baseball franchise, and his takeaway was unequivocal.“It’s exciting. Northern California is a great baseball town, baseball city, especially here in Sacramento,”Judge said.“A lot of good history. Hopefully they get the bid. We’ll see what happens.”While he acknowledged the competition would be fierce—”It’s going to be tough and I’m really not sure how it’s going to go”—his willingness to engage with the city’s aspirations and speak positively about it carries real weight in baseball circles.
Judge wasn’t the only high-profile voice backing Sacramento that day. Yankees Manager Aaron Boone also weighed in, noting that Sacramento had created a“good environment”for Major League Baseball. These aren’t throwaway comments from visiting players being polite. Judge has the kind of platform and credibility that matters when ownership groups and league officials evaluate expansion candidates, and his recognition of Sacramento’s baseball heritage adds another feather in the city’s cap.
The timing wasn’t coincidental either. Judge got the scoring started with an RBI single in the first inning as the Yankees rolled to an 8-2 victory, with Ben Rice’s 411-foot home run to center providing a highlight Judge visibly enjoyed. It was the kind of performance that reminds Sacramento fans what big-league baseball at the highest level looks like—and what could be here full-time if the expansion bid succeeds.
Sacramento’s been making noise in expansion conversations, competing against other cities for MLB’s attention. Getting endorsements from marquee names like Judge and Boone, especially ones that speak to the city’s genuine baseball culture rather than just its market size, matters more than you might think. These conversations get reported, discussed in league offices, and factored into decision-making processes. Judge’s comments suggesting he’d support seeing the Yankees play in Sacramento if they keep winning—”Maybe our owner will like seeing us up here in Sacramento if we keep winning games like this”—might be playful, but it underscores that Sacramento’s making an impression on the sport’s biggest names.
About the Author
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
