Major League Baseball announced some changes to its 2025 schedule as a result of the Tampa Bay Rays playing their home games at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa next season due to the damage sustained at Tropicana Field during Hurricane Milton.
“These proactive schedule adjustments have been made to optimize the number of games played in the best weather conditions given the Rays’ transition to an outdoor ballpark,” a statement issued by MLB said.
To avoid the summer humidity, which can reach levels of 90% or higher in July and August, MLB has moved an April three-game series (April 7-9) between the Rays and Los Angeles Angels from Anaheim’s Angel Stadium to Steinbrenner Field. The three-game set the two clubs were scheduled to play in August (Aug. 4-6) in Tampa will instead be played in Anaheim.
Two series involving the Rays and Minnesota Twins will also swap places on the schedule. A three-game set previously scheduled to be played in Minneapolis from May 26 to 28 will move to Tampa, and the series scheduled for July 4-6 at Steinbrenner Field will instead be played at Target Field.
As a result of these changes, the Rays will play 64 of their last 108 games on the road, according to the Associated Press. The team is only scheduled to play eight home games in both July and August.
Steinbrenner Field, with a capacity of 11,000, is the spring training ballpark for the New York Yankees and their Class-A affiliate, the Tampa Tarpons. The Tarpons will play their home games on other fields on the Yankees’ complex during the Florida State League season.
Tropicana Field suffered damage to its fabric roof panels when they were ripped away as Hurricane Milton made landfall, allowing rain and wind to also harm the interior of the stadium. After assessing the damage, the city of St. Petersburg, Florida, determined that fixing the facility would cost approximately $55.7 million and would not be completed until 2026.
The St. Petersburg City Council initially voted to approve the funds, only to reverse the decision hours later.
