In a twist of irony, the Tampa Bay Rays’ long-awaited new ballpark in St. Petersburg finally got the green light this year—only for Tropicana Field, their current stadium, to suffer major roof damage. Photos of the stadium reveal an eerie scene with parts of the roof torn off, leaving the Rays scrambling for an opening-day venue with just six months left before the 2025 season kicks off.
The Tampa Bay Times confirmed that Tropicana Field won’t be ready for the season opener, forcing the team to explore temporary options. One possible backup is their spring training stadium in Port Charlotte, though it only seats 5,000—well short of Tropicana Field’s capacity.
But there’s another potential fix: borrowing the Yankees’ spring training facility. If the Yankees lend their Tampa facility to the Rays, it could be the best solution for a team facing one stadium setback after another.
