Baseball is back in Northeast Ohio – and the fans are, too, with the Cleveland Guardians and their minor-league affiliate Akron RubberDucks marking their first home stands of the season.
Summerlike temperatures in the upper 70s greeted the RubberDucks’ April 2 return, but cooler and wetter weather was on its way to the region April 3 as the Guardians prepared to play ball.
A festive feel surrounded Progressive Field as the gates opened around 2:30 p.m. and spectators began flowing in, despite weather radar showing rain moving in around the time of the scheduled 4:10 p.m. start.
No matter the cloud cover, fans were eager for the return of a Cleveland baseball team that finished off 2025 in historic fashion with a red-hot comeback campaign to win the American League Central Division title.
The 2026 season has begun on a hot note as well, with Guardians rookie hitter Chase DeLauter clobbering four home runs in his first three games.
RubberDucks’ home debut ushers in changes at Akron ballpark
Akron beat the Reading Fightin’ Phils 3-1 in front of an announced attendance of 4,589, with fireworks to close out the festivities. Akron Mayor Shammas Malik threw out the ceremonial first pitch, accompanied on the field by his wife, Alice, and their infant daughter.
The RubberDucks’ opener heralded a new era on two fronts; the former Canal Park hosted its first game as the rechristened 7 17 Credit Union Park under new ownership.
The ballclub was sold to Prospector Baseball Group by Ken Babby in December. The new ownership is led by John Abbamondi and Ben Boyer. The group also owns two other minor league teams, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in Florida and the Lancaster Stormers in Pennsylvania.
The group has pledged to continue Babby’s legacy of promoting the Class AA ballclub as a family-friendly experience and community partner.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Home is sweet for Guardians, RubberDucks as baseball makes its return
Reporting by Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
