The Tampa Bay Rays were another victim of the tragic Hurricane Milton last October. Hurricane Milton was an extremely powerful and destructive tropical cyclone that, in 2024, became the most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded in the Gulf of Mexico, tying with Hurricane Rita in 2005.
The roof of their home field, Tropicana Field, was damaged, so this season they are playing at Steinbrenner Field. Yesterday marked a milestone in their 25 years of existence, as the Rays experienced their first rain delay.
Steinbrenner Field is a baseball stadium located in Tampa, Florida, across the Dale Mabry Highway from Raymond James Stadium. Built in 1996, it seats 11,026 people, with an addition in right field that was constructed in 2007. It is the largest spring training ballpark in Florida.
Currently, the Rays are fourth in the American League, four games behind first place in the AL East. This is the same position they finished in last season with an 80-82 record.
They seem far from their best baseball, having reached the World Series against the Dodgers in 2020. Notable players like Randy Arozarena, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow left the franchise to pursue other opportunities.
While yesterday was filled with a joyful atmosphere in the little league stadium, the Rays are eager to win games and play well. Unfortunately, due to the natural disaster, they have been working on a new $1.3 billion stadium in St. Petersburg, but the deal was scrapped due to rising costs, delays, and other issues, according to the Engineering News-Record.
St. Petersburg voted to spend $22.5 million to rebuild the roof of Tropicana Field, aiming to have it ready for the 2026 season.
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