Rays set for Tropicana Field return in 2026 after hurricane repairs
- - Rays set for Tropicana Field return in 2026 after hurricane repairs
Sean Leahy November 13, 2025 at 11:50 PM
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The Tampa Bay Rays will be back at Tropicana Field for the 2026 MLB season after damage caused by Hurricane Milton forced the team to play at Steinbrenner Field last season.
The Rays announced the start of ticket sales on Wednesday with the home opener scheduled for Monday, April 6, against the Chicago Cubs. Tampa will begin the 2026 with a nine-game road trip.
“We are excited to return home to Tropicana Field in April and to once again join our fans and neighboring businesses in downtown St. Petersburg in celebrating the return of Rays baseball,” team CEO Ken Babby said in a statement.
The main damage to Tropicana Field, which opened in 1990, was to the fabric roof panels, which were essentially ripped off when the storm made landfall. Eighteen of the 24 panels failed due to Hurricane Milton's high winds, and the failure of the roof allowed the rain and wind to cause more damage inside the stadium.
The decision to play at Tampa's Steinbrenner Field, spring training home of the New York Yankees, came after a survey of Tropicana Field post-Hurricane Milton found that while the stadium remained structurally sound, the cost of repairs would total $55.7 million, including $22.5 million for a new roof, and would not be completed until after the next season.
Repairs to the stadium's roof are ongoing, with work expected to be finished early in 2026. There will also be "an expanded main video board, new video displays behind home plate and along both foul poles, a new sound system and refreshed suite interiors," according to the team.
The Rays finished fourth in the AL East with a 77-85 record and missed the playoffs for the second straight season. They posted a 41-40 record at Steinbrenner Field, selling out 61 of their home games last season.
Back at their old home, the Rays now have new ownership, led by Florida-based developer Patrick Zalupski after a reported $1.7 billion sale in September. They are also planning to honor franchise legend Evan Longoria, who retired in June and will be inducted into the team's Hall of Fame.
Source: “AOL Sports”
