**Tampa Bay Rays to Call Yankees' Spring Training Ballpark Home in 2025**

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Tampa Bay Rays have announced that they will play their home games for the 2025 season at Steinbrenner Field, the New York Yankees' spring training ballpark, located nearby in Tampa. This decision comes as Tropicana Field faces significant damage from Hurricane Milton, which leaves the stadium's future in uncertainty.

Rays' principal owner, Stuart Sternberg, communicated that Steinbrenner Field is an optimal choice for both the team and its fanbase. With a seating capacity of approximately 11,000, it is the largest spring training facility in Florida. "It is singularly the best opportunity for our fans to experience 81 games of major league Rays baseball," Sternberg said, acknowledging the challenges of bringing the stadium up to major league standards but highlighting it as the least difficult option available.

Commissioner Rob Manfred supports the arrangement, emphasizing its benefits for both the sport and the region. "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," Manfred stated in an official release.

The Rays have been based at Tropicana Field since 1998, but the recent hurricane left the dome severely damaged with a shredded roof and extensive water intrusion. The city of St. Petersburg has estimated repair costs at $55.7 million to make the stadium viable for the 2026 season, yet these repairs require city council approval. The council had previously approved a new $1.3 billion, 30,000-seat stadium expected to open in 2028 as part of the larger Historic Gas Plant District revitalization project.

Despite the challenges ahead, Brian Auld, Rays co-president, indicated that preparations are underway to ensure the team is ready for a regular-season game on March 27, 2025, against the Colorado Rockies, soon after the Yankees conclude their spring training camp. Thus, the Rays will play their 2025 season in a smaller, more intimate setting, amidst an environment honoring Yankee legends at Steinbrenner Field.