Rant Sports has reported an agreement between the Tampa Bay Rays, Major League Baseball, and the New York Yankees for the Rays to play their 2025 season, and potentially future seasons, in Tampa. Major League Baseball considers Steinbrenner Field, which has a capacity of 11,000 seats and serves as the spring training ground for the Yankees and the Class-A Tampa Tarpons, to be nearly ready to meet MLB standards with minimal adjustments needed for the 2025 season.
As decisions are being made about Tropicana Field’s repairs following Hurricane Milton, a survey revealed that while the stadium is structurally sound, the repairs would cost $55.7 million and would not be completed until 2026. The Trop, as it is commonly known, was scheduled for demolition in 2027 to allow the team to move to a new stadium in 2028. This raises the question: Should the building be repaired if the Rays are only going to play one season there, or should they consider playing in Tampa for the next two or three seasons?
The Deal
“We deeply appreciate that the Yankees have graciously allowed us to play at Steinbrenner Field for the 2025 season,” Rays owner Stuart Sternberg said in a statement. “The hurricane damage to Tropicana Field has forced us to take some extraordinary steps, just as Hurricanes Helene and Milton have forced thousands of families and businesses in our community to adapt to new circumstances as we all recover and rebuild.”
“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,’’ said Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner. “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.
“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,” Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred, Jr. 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 Rays in Tampa where it all began
Ironically, this was the originally proposed site for a baseball stadium back in the 1970s when Tampa and St. Petersburg were competing to secure an MLB franchise. It was Tampa who first of the two cities to actually work to land a team.
The Rays could become a sought-after ticket due to their venue’s limited seating capacity, which is expected to be around 11,000 per game—comparable to the A’s who will be playing for the next three years in their minor league stadium in Sacramento.
Why Steinbrenner Field
Steinbrenner Field was selected as the Rays temporary regular-season home because it is the best-prepared facility in the Tampa Bay region to host regular-season Major League Baseball games. Steinbrenner Field was already undergoing renovations to improve its clubhouse and playing facilities. Recent projects include upgraded field lighting, expanded home locker room space, and improved training and rehabilitation capabilities. It is also the largest spring-training stadium in the region with a capacity of approximately 11,000 patrons. Additional improvements are expected to be made before the regular season to ensure fans continue to have a wonderful experience at Rays games.