Tony Gwynn Jr. grew up going to games at Jack Murphy Stadium when his father, Tony Gwynn, played for the San Diego Padres, and he played in Petco Park himself during his own eight-year MLB career, so he has seen the dramatic evolution of the ballpark atmosphere in San Diego.
“What flies under the radar is that with the departure of the [NFL’s] Chargers, this opened space for more fanatic Padres fans,” Gwynn Jr. wrote in a text to ESPN. “This generation of Padre fans seems to be more fanatical than the generation I came up watching, when the fans could kind of take it or leave it. With the Padres being the only team in town now, it’s just a different type of fan than it was before.”
That the experience at a Padres games for fans and players -- on both teams -- has changed is indisputable. What is debatable is where Petco Park ranks in terms of home-field advantage among the eight teams still alive in the division series and battling for a World Series title.
We spoke to a number of managers and coaches -- who, of course, have all competed in the ballparks still in play -- on home-field advantage among the remaining clubs to create this ranking, based on their years of experience and feedback.
1. Yankee Stadium, New York Yankees
When the Yankees moved from their old home to the new Yankee Stadium in 2009, the initial narrative was that the new place didn’t have the soul of the old place, because the new Yankee Stadium seemed bigger and more cavernous, with less intensity. But most of those we polled contend that the current Yankee Stadium provides the best home-field advantage in these playoffs.
“The combination of the crowd, the atmosphere, all of the postseason history,” one NL staffer said.
“It’s still the gold standard for a home field,” an AL staffer said. “The fans are there early. They are loud. Their passion can be felt from Pitch 1. The event feels different. It still has the edge that impacts the opponent.”
The atmosphere at Yankee Stadium has affected opposing teams in the past. During the 2017 playoffs, the Houston Astros were swept in the middle three games they played in New York of their best-of-seven ALCS. After Game 5, Houston’s Carlos Beltran called a meeting, believing that his teammates were being impacted by Yankee Stadium’s atmosphere, and told them they needed to calm down.
2. Petco Park, San Diego Padres
One AL staffer wrote in a text, “Petco is most improved and arguably 1-B to Yankee Stadium. The music, the vibe, the volume all impact the visiting team. The in-game is noticeably on point. The fans are all-in. It is no longer a chill place.”
Nope, it is not. Due to the Western Metal Building in left field that looms over the field and the low outfield fencing, fans seem to be right on top of the players, making the whole place play like a small ballpark. But it’s not small. With the expanded Gallagher Square seating, it can hold 47,000-plus fans, team president Erik Greupner said. San Diego was second in home attendance this past regular season, with 3.35 million, ranking behind only ... our next team.
3. Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers’ players themselves make this a difficult place for visitors, of course, with the collection of future Hall of Famers comprising the lineup and the accomplished starting pitchers. But what was cited the most by rival staffers was the noise.
“Loud,” one of the staffers said. “The speakers are incredible. The fan base is amazing.”
“It’s just so loud there,” another said. “It’s like the bass from the speakers thumps you in the chest.”
4. Tropicana Field, Tampa Bay Rays
A long list of factors was cited by those polled as they addressed the difficulty for teams visiting St. Petersburg, from the inherent distraction of the nearby beaches to the way that the fan noise ricochets in the park. Most often mentioned, however, was the artificial surface and the enormous outfield, and how the Rays’ team is custom built for its park, with speed (Chandler Simpson) and a pitching staff that fills the strike zone to take advantage of the spacious dimensions.
“The fast surface always matches their offensive style,” one AL staffer said. “The goal has always been to not get swept there.”
5. Truist Park, Atlanta Braves
Some of the staffers polled mentioned the enthusiasm of Braves fans, as well as their collective volume. A couple of them mentioned how hot it can get -- which has been the case already. When the forecast for Game 1 of the NLDS called for triple-digit temperatures, Atlanta manager Walt Weiss dismissed the impact, saying his team was accustomed to playing in that kind of weather.
6. American Family Field, Milwaukee Brewers
Brewers fans show up early and stay late, and when Jackson Chourio smashed the walk-off single to beat Padres closer Mason Miller and secure the Game 2 win, those fans shared in the sort of moment that will be remembered beyond this generation. The place was bonkers.
But the managers and coaches who responded in this poll are accustomed to noisy fans. What they find most difficult about playing in Milwaukee are the late-afternoon shadows and the working conditions. One staffer said that the clubhouse, food and batting cage are all the worst in the league, “so that makes it tougher to play there.”
7. Progressive Field, Cleveland Guardians
“It’s not an intimidating place for us,” one staffer said. “Maybe that’s because they typically have a lot of young players. They have good teams, but there’s nothing that makes it a tough place to play. Not compared to some of the other places, certainly.”
8. Rate Field, Chicago White Sox
“It’s a neutral for me,” one NL staffer said. “Nothing really stands out.”
The growing popularity of the pope hats -- and the improvement of the White Sox, from setting the modern MLB single-season loss record in 2024 with 121 losses to making the playoffs and winning their first series since 2005 -- might start to change that.
