Tampa Bay Rays Find New Home Field After Hurricane Destroys Stadium
Hurricane Milton barreled into the west coast of Florida last month and left a path of destruction in its wake. This included the roof of Tropicana Field where the Tampa Bay Rays have played all of its home games since the team's inaugural season in 1998. While the beloved stadium is being rebuilt, the Rays will be playing all home games at a nearby venue used by another major MLB team.
On Nov. 14, the Rays' principal owner Stuart Sternberg announced that the team will play all of its home games in the 2025 season at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, used by the New York Yankees as a spring training field. The venue can fit approximately 11,000 fans, making it the largest spring training site in the state. It sits adjacent to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' home of Raymond James Stadium and across Tampa Bay from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.
"It is singularly the best opportunity for our fans to experience 81 games of major league Rays baseball," Sternberg said of the move, per The Associated Press. "As difficult as it is to get any of these stadiums up to major league standards, it was the least difficult. You’re going to see Major League Baseball in a small environment."
Related: Wild Video Shows Hurricane Milton Destroying Tropicana Field’s Roof
Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner, whose father was a longtime Yankees owner and the namesake for their practice field, is just as excited about the temporary partnership.
"We are happy to extend our hand to the Rays and their fans by providing a Major League-quality facility for them to utilize this season," he said in a statement. "Both the Yankees organization and my family have deep roots in the Tampa Bay region, and we understand how meaningful it is for Rays players, employees and fans to have their 2025 home games take place within 30 minutes of Tropicana Field. In times like these, rivalry and competition take a back seat to doing what’s right for our community— which is continuing to help families and businesses rebound from the devastation caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton."
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred similarly boasted about the plan's benefits for local fans last month.
"Given the significant challenges caused by Hurricane Milton, I appreciate the hard work and collaboration between the two teams that allowed the Rays to make the best decision for next season," Manfred said. "This outcome meets Major League Baseball’s goals that Rays fans will see their team play next season in their home market and that their players can remain home without disruption to their families."
The city of St. Petersburg estimates the repairs to Tropicana Field will run approximately $55.7 million. If all goes according to plan, the Rays should be back on their home turf for the start of the 2026 season.