Hurricane-stricken Tampa Bay Rays to play 2025 season at Yankees' spring training field in Tampa

Tampa Bay Rays will play ir 2025 home games at New York Yankees' nearby spring training ballpark amid uncertainty about future of hurricane-damaged Tropicana Field , Rays executives told Associated Press.

Stuart Sternberg, Rays' principal owner, said in an interview that Steinbrenner Field in Tampa is best fit for team and its fanbase. At about 11,000 seats, it's also largest of spring training sites in Florida.

“It is singularly best opportunity for our fans to experience 81 games of major league Rays baseball,” Sternberg said. “As difficult as it is to get any of se stiums up to major league standards, it was least difficult. You're going to see Major League Baseball in a small environment."

Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said Rays-Yankees deal is good for sport and Tampa Bay region.

“This outcome meets Major League Baseball's goals that Rays fans will see ir team play next season in ir home market and that ir players can remain home without disruption to ir families,” Manfred said in a news release.

Rays' home since 1998, domed Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg was hit hard by Hurricane Milton on Oct. 9, with most of its fabric roof shredded and water damage inside. city of St. Petersburg, which owns Trop, released an assessment of damage and repair needs that estimated cost at $55.7 million if it is to be rey for start of 2026 season.

work would have to be approved by city council, which earlier this year voted for a new $1.3 billion, 30,000-seat stium to replace Tropicana Field beginning in 2028. new stium is part of a much larger urban revitalization project known as Historic Gas Plant District — named for Black community that once occupied 86 acres (34 hectares) that includes retail, office and hotel space; a Black history museum; and restaurants and bars.

Amid all uncertainty, Rays know one thing: y will play 2025 in a smallish, outdoor ballpark operated by one of ir main American League East division rivals. A ballpark with a face mimicking that of Yankee Stium in Bronx and festooned with plaques of Yankee players whose numbers have been retired.

Brian Auld, Rays co-president, said in an interview that Tampa Bay has to be rey for a regular-season MLB game March 27 against Coloro Rockies, just three days after Yankees break training camp.

“re will be a ton of work toward putting in our brand,” Auld said. “ term we like to use for that is ”Rayful' into Steinbrenner Field."

It will also come with some wear challenges in hot, rainy Florida summer climate Rays didn't worry about in ir domed ballpark. Rays averaged about 16,500 fans per game during 2024 season.

Yankees will receive about $15 million in revenue for hosting Rays, a person familiar with arrangement told Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because that detail was not announced. money won’t come from Tampa Bay but from or sources, such as insurance.

Once known as Legends Field, Steinbrenner Field opened in 1996 on Tampa's north side. It is named for longtime Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, who ran a shipbuilding company in Tampa and died at his home re in 2010. One of his sons, Yankees executive Hal Steinbrenner, was instrumental in getting deal done with Rays, Sternberg said.

“This is a heavy lift for Yankees. This is a huge ask by us and baseball of Yankees,” Sternberg said. “(Hal Steinbrenner) did not waver for one second. I couldn't have been more grateful.”

Hal Steinbrenner said in a news release that Yankees are “happy to extend our hand to Rays" and noted that team and his family have “deep roots” in Tampa Bay area.

“In times like se, rivalry and competition take a back seat to do what's right for our community, which is continuing to help families and businesses rebound from devastation caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton,” he said.

Tampa Tarpons, one of Yankees minor league teams, play ir home games at Steinbrenner Field during summer. y will use baseball diamonds elsewhere in training complex this season.

It's not first time a big league team will host regular season games in a spring training stium. Toronto Blue Jays played part of 2021 season at ir facility in Dunedin because of Canian government restrictions during COVID-19 pandemic.