The Tampa Bay Rays will play their 81 home games at George M. Steinbrenner Field in 2025 after Hurricane Milton wreaked havoc on their permanent home, Tropicana Field.
Hurricane Milton tore through Florida last month, causing $55.7 million in damage to Tropicana Field on Oct. 9.
The goal is to have it ready for the start of the 2026 season in just under 17 months.
Steinbrenner Field is the nearby spring training field of the New York Yankees, with a seating capacity of approximately 11,000.
It is located 33 km from Tropicana Field, in the suburb of Saint Petersburg. Steinbrenner Field is located in the actual city of Tampa, marking the first time the Rays have played regular-season games within city limits for the city in their name.
Some have argued that the repairs to Tropicana Field are unnecessary because the work would have to be approved by the City Council, which voted earlier this year for a new $1.3 billion, 30,000-seat stadium to replace the permanent home of the Rays, starting in 2028. .
The extensive damage to Tropicana Field has left the Rays finding a new home for 2025
Tampa Bay plays its home games at Steinbrenner Field, home of the Yankees
The Rays had limited options to find a ballpark that could accommodate a Major League Baseball team within four months.
Steinbrenner Field was built as a home away from the Bronx for the Yankees, with parts of it mimicking Yankee Stadium.
The Rays’ first home game is scheduled for March 27 against the Colorado Rockies, three days after Spring Training ends for New York.
Tampa Bay, playing in a smaller stadium, will be the second MLB team to severely reduce their crowd size for next season.
The franchise, formerly known as the Oakland Athletics, has temporarily relocated to Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, which seats approximately 14,000 fans.
The A’s will permanently move to Las Vegas for the 2028 season after three years in Northern California.