The Tampa Bay Rays and Main League Baseball are going to have to determine a short lived dwelling for the ballclub for the 2025 season.
The Rays’ dwelling stadium, Tropicana Area, goes to wish in depth repairs following injury that was sustained throughout Hurricane Milton just a bit greater than a month in the past.
A 3-week injury evaluation report offered to the St. Petersburg Metropolis Council discovered that the stadium will want $55.72M in repairs, which might not be accomplished till simply earlier than the 2026 season.
Which means the Rays won’t be able to play within the stadium for the whole thing of the 2025 season.
It was already anticipated that the stadium may not be prepared for at the least the beginning of the season, however there was at the least some optimism that at the least a part of the house schedule may very well be maintained. That seems to be unlikely.
Greater than $23M of the repairs are projected to restore the roof which was blown off through the storm.
Extra particulars, from The Athletic:
“Total, the stadium seems structurally sound and can be a viable candidate to proceed to serve town (ought to they so determine) in offering continued service following hurricane injury repairs,” Hennessy Building Providers wrote within the conclusion of their report.
The report additionally discovered that the executive areas had been affected by wind and water injury. Audio and visible methods had been affected, and a brand new taking part in floor will likely be wanted. The constructing’s exterior was “principally intact” with nearly all of the injury to the material roof and parts of the outside metallic panel system.
All of this creates plenty of sophisticated situations for each the Rays and the league.
The Rays are scheduled to maneuver into a brand new stadium for the beginning of the 2028 season, which ends up in the query of whether or not or not town — or the staff — wish to make investments that a lot cash in fixing a stadium that might solely be used for 2 seasons (the 2026 and 2027 seasons) and couldn’t be used in any respect this season.
If they don’t, the Rays are going to should discover a short-term answer that extends past this season.
Even this season goes to be problematic.
There are a number of minor league and spring coaching amenities near Tampa — together with in Tampa — however all of these venues would wish important upgrades to make them Main League prepared for normal season video games. There’s additionally the difficulty of climate and the day by day rain showers that happen in Florida, in addition to the warmth and humidity.
Quickly relocating the staff to different cities looks as if the probably short-term final result. The Rays’ Triple-A staff performs in Durham, whereas Charlotte, Nashville and even Montreal have been speculated as potential spots.
