Going to a Guardians day game? The coolest seats at Progressive Field are on the third-base side and behind home plate. Our 3D model ray-traces every row, and those zones hold shade ~74% of a day game. The first-base/right-field side takes the afternoon sun.
Ready to buy shaded seats?
🎟 Find Cleveland Guardians tickets on TicketNetworkAffiliate link, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
▶ Hit Play to watch the shade sweep across the Progressive Field bowl. Want to set your exact game date & first pitch? Open the full map ↗
Home plate at Progressive Field faces very nearly due north, so as the afternoon sun swings through the south and toward the west it loads the first-base side and right field, while the third-base/left-field side and the seats behind home plate fall into shade first. The upper-deck overhang helps the back rows shade earliest.
These are the share of a typical early-afternoon game each zone holds shade in our 3D model, based on the seating-bowl geometry and the sun's real path, not a specific day's clouds:
| Section area | Level | Shaded for… |
|---|---|---|
| Third-base side | Lower & Club | ~74% of the game |
| Behind home plate | Lower & Club | ~64-65% |
| Left-field line | Lower | ~62% |
| First-base side | Lower & Club | ~50-55%, more sun |
| Upper deck & bleachers | Upper / OF | Mostly sun, avoid for shade |
Percentages are for a typical 1:10 PM start in midsummer; your exact game may differ. Plug your date and first pitch into the live map for a per-row read.
If shade is the priority at Progressive Field, aim for the third-base side with a deck overhead. The best bets:
| Seats | Why they're shaded |
|---|---|
| Third-base side, Lower & Club level | Orientation puts the afternoon sun at their backs; ~74% shaded |
| Behind home plate, back rows of the Lower/Club | Upper-deck overhang shades them as the sun moves west |
| Covered club levels behind the plate | Set back and covered, cool through the afternoon |
The first-base and right-field side takes the afternoon sun, and the upper deck and bleachers are largely open. The outfield seats stay exposed for most of a day game, and front rows everywhere sit in sun until late.
The third-base/left-field side and the seats behind home plate shade first, because home plate faces almost due north and the afternoon sun loads the first-base/right-field side. The third-base Lower and Club levels hold shade the longest, around 74% of a typical day game in our model.
Lower and Club level on the third-base side, and the back rows behind home plate under the upper-deck overhang. The covered club levels behind the plate stay cool through the afternoon.
The first-base/right-field side, the upper deck, and the bleachers. They stay exposed for most of a day game.
For afternoon starts, target the third-base Lower and Club levels or a covered club behind the plate. For night games the sun sets low and the bowl shades within an inning or two. The interactive tool models any start time and the live weather.
Shade predictions come from a 3D ray-traced model of the seating bowl combined with the exact solar position for your date and time. The bowl geometry is a calibrated approximation, so use the map to pick a side, level and row range, then confirm the precise seat on a ticket map. Independent tool; not affiliated with MLB or the Guardians.
The rest of the AL Central, same treatment:
Progressive Field ranks #11 of 30 for sun exposure in MLB: the average seat sits in direct sunlight for about 121 of a 190-minute day game, or 63.9% of it. Full ranking and method in the sunniest seats in baseball.