**MLB Seeks Temporary Home for Tampa Bay Rays Following Hurricane Milton Damage**

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- In the wake of the devastating damage inflicted by Hurricane Milton, Major League Baseball is on the hunt for a temporary venue for the Tampa Bay Rays for at least the commencement of the 2025 season. The hurricane's ferocious winds ravaged the translucent fiberglass dome of Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, casting uncertainty on the ballpark's immediate usability.

Several spring training sites within the Tampa Bay area have emerged as potential temporary homes. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred expressed the league's preference for a local solution. "We're hopeful that we can figure out something in [the Tampa Bay area] for them and that the repairs can be done in a way that allows them to resume playing," Manfred shared on "The Varsity" podcast. "The easiest thing is always to stay in the market where the clubs are anchored if we can manage it."

The Rays, who have called Tropicana Field home since their debut season in 1998, face this predicament just months after St. Petersburg and Pinellas County sanctioned a $1.3 billion initiative for a new ballpark slated to open in 2028. This new stadium forms part of a broader downtown revitalization plan.

St. Petersburg is taking immediate steps to assess the extent of the damage, enlisting the Hennessy/AECOM firm for a comprehensive analysis and contracting another company to clear the remaining roof debris. City spokesperson Alizza Punzalan-Randle reported, "We will have more information on next steps once the analyses have been completed and the remaining roof has been removed."

City Council member Brandi Gabbard anticipates the damage analysis by early November, which will chart a clearer course forward for the beleaguered stadium.

In the meantime, various alternative venues have been proposed, including spring training sites used by MLB teams such as the Phillies, Blue Jays, Yankees, Pirates, and Tigers. Another possibility is the Rays' spring training complex in Port Charlotte, roughly 85 miles south of St. Petersburg, or Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports complex near Orlando. However, these sites, home to minor league teams post-spring training, would necessitate significant scheduling adjustments.

One viable option without such complications is the Orioles' spring training site in Sarasota, which lacks a minor league team. There has also been discourse on the Rays possibly sharing the Miami Marlins' stadium, despite it being a four-hour drive away, or even playing some games in Montreal, though the latter's stadium is under renovation and unavailable next season.

As the Rays' home opener against the Colorado Rockies looms on March 27, Commissioner Manfred is confident a solution will be found. "The one thing I can tell you for sure, they're playing next year. We're going to find them someplace to do it," he asserted.