Two Bay Area teams will make history on Wednesday night when the Oakland Ballers of the Pioneer League take on the San Jose Giants, the Single-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants in “The Battle of the Bay 2.0.”
The game is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. PDT Wednesday at San Jose’s Excite Ballpark.
“The Battle of the Bay 2.0” will be the first time an MLB-affiliated team takes on an independent partner league team. The Pioneer League, with 12 teams, is one of several independent professional baseball leagues in the U.S. Last season, the Ballers finished with a 58-38 record, but went 1-2 in the playoffs.
“The Battle of the Bay 2.0 at its core is a celebration of the Bay Area baseball fan and the history of baseball in this region,” said San Jose Giants President Ben Taylor. “Providing fans the opportunity to enjoy this first-of-its-kind matchup, while giving young developing players the chance to play in front of an energized Excite Ballpark crowd is going to be an unforgettable experience. It is my sincere hope that alongside the Ballers this is the beginning of a new, annual baseball tradition for our region.”
Right-handed pitcher Elijah Pleasants plays for the Giants, but was signed from the Ballers last summer. In five games for the Ballers last year, he had a 4.32 ERA and 23 strikeouts. For the Giants, he had a 3.33 ERA in 11 games, appearing strictly as a reliever. He even notched two saves.
The Ballers are now Oakland’s only professional baseball team. The matchup with the San Jose Giants will serve as an exhibition before the Giants open their season on April 8. Eleven of the Giants organization’s top 30 prospects will start the season in Single-A San Jose, so there will be no shortage of talent on the field when the two teams face off.
Credit San Jose Giants
