The Tampa Bay Rays are scheduled to play their 2025 regular season at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida, due to Tropicana Field being damaged by Hurricane Milton last October.
While repairs have been ongoing, it was determined early on the Rays would need a temporary home ballpark. It was determined the Spring Training home of the New York Yankees was the best-case site for the Rays.
During a recent appearance on “Foul Territory,” Tyler Glasnow, detailed one optimistic result with the Rays’ situation and having to play at George M. Steinbrenner Field for the 2025 regular season:
“Honestly, that Steinbrenner (Field) situation is kind of nice. The roof situation is not and the hurricane situation is super not cool, but that might be kind of awesome for the team.
“Go to Tampa, capacity is like 15,000, they’re going to sell out every game. Ticket prices, I’m assuming, are going to go up because everyone lives in Tampa.
“I think the city is going to have a nice little buzz to it, and maybe the city of Tampa will be like, ‘Alright, maybe we should try to keep the team here.’ I think it’s going to be awesome.
“And if you’re a hitter, the ball flies there. I think it’s a win-win. Not for the pitchers, but for the hitters and city of Tampa, I think it’s going to be insane. … I think fan-wise, like engagement, that wasn’t really a thing in St. Pete; every now and again it would be.
“Now, I feel like they’re going to get a lot of fans. A lot of rainouts too, but that’s another story.”
The Rays’ first home game takes place on March 28 at Steinbrenner Field, and with a capacity of nearly 11,000, games should sell out. Prior to being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Glasnow saw the Rays during several phases of their franchise, and he has a proper understanding of what the city of Tampa could feel from this move.
Recently improved facilities at George M. Steinbrenner Field have further bolstered the feel of a big league ballpark for players and fans who attend.
Dodgers playing at George M. Steinbrenner Field
Because of the Rays needing to find a new Tampa home, the Yankees’ Single-A affiliate is
Aside from the Yankees’ Single-A club, who will make contingency plans for 2025, the Dodgers travel to Steinbrenner Field for their matchup with the Rays from Aug. 1-3.
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