The Tampa Bay Rays, for the primary time of their historical past, will really play their house video games in Tampa. The crew’s house slate will happen at George M. Steinbrenner Discipline, the spring coaching house of the New York Yankees.
Tropicana Discipline, the Rays’ house facility, was “considerably broken” throughout Hurricane Milton on Oct. 10, with the roof being ripped off. The Rays chosen Steinbrenner Discipline as a result of it was the “best-prepared facility within the Tampa Bay area,” in response to a information launch.
“We deeply recognize that the Yankees have graciously allowed us to play at Steinbrenner Discipline for the 2025 season,’’ Rays proprietor Stu Sternberg mentioned within the assertion. “The hurricane harm to Tropicana Discipline has pressured us to take some extraordinary steps.”
“We’re joyful to increase our hand to the Rays and their followers by offering a major-league high quality facility for them to make the most of this season,’’ Yankees proprietor Hal Steinbrenner mentioned in an announcement. “… We perceive how significant it’s for Rays gamers, workers and followers to have their 2025 house video games happen inside half-hour of Tropicana Discipline.”
There was no dedication but as to how the change will influence the Tampa Tarpons, the Yankees’ Single-A affiliate and Steinbrenner Discipline’s regular regular-season occupant.
The Rays additionally talked extensively to the Philadelphia Phillies about utilizing the Phillies’ spring coaching complicated in close by Clearwater, which provided benefits as a result of it’s additionally positioned in Pinellas County. Nonetheless, the Rays opted for Tampa for a number of causes. One is that Steinbrenner Discipline seats upward of two,000 extra followers, which might translate into considerably extra income over 81 video games.
One other is that the Yankees’ facility was considered by the membership as having amenities – significantly in and across the clubhouse – which are extra appropriate to housing a serious league crew over six months, versus six weeks.
A 3rd is that finally, the Rays most popular the central location provided by a stadium in Tampa, versus Clearwater, which is an extended drive for a lot of their fan base.
The aftermath of Hurricane Milton at Tropicana Discipline in St. Petersburg, Fla. (Paul Hennessy/SOPA Photos/LightRocket by way of Getty Photos)
A harm evaluation report launched earlier this week estimated that Tropicana Discipline wouldn’t be prepared earlier than 2026, and would price round $55.7 million in repairs. It’s doable a lot of the harm might have been averted if the crew had changed its roof within the years prior.
With the crew hoping to maneuver into a brand new St. Petersburg venue in 2028, it’s unclear what the long-term plan for the Rays will likely be past 2025. Steinbrenner Discipline has a capability of 11,000 and notably doesn’t have a roof given the wet climate typical for the area all through the summer season. It has, nevertheless, lately undergone renovations to broaden clubhouse house, enhance the lighting and improve the amenities writ giant.
The Rays would be the second MLB crew taking part in in a minor-league stadium in 2025, with the Athletics planning to spend the subsequent three seasons at Sutter Well being Park in West Sacramento, Calif., forward of their transfer to Las Vegas in 2028.
The Rays and league prioritized taking part in the crew’s house video games within the area, slightly than transferring to a bigger or domed facility. It’s additionally not the primary time regular-season video games will likely be performed at a Tampa-area spring coaching web site. The Toronto Blue Jays opened the 2021 season with house video games at their spring coaching web site in Dunedin.
“Given the numerous challenges brought on by Hurricane Milton, I recognize the laborious work and collaboration between the 2 groups,” commissioner Rob Manfred mentioned within the launch. “This final result meets Main League Baseball’s objectives that Rays’ followers will see their crew play subsequent season of their house market and that their gamers can stay house with out disruption to their households.”
Further reporting by Chris Kirschner.
(Prime picture of Steinbrenner Discipline in 2017: Justin Ok. Aller/Getty Photos)