MLB Rumors: Rays' Tropicana Field Won't Be Ready for Opener After Hurricane Damage

Following the devastating impact of Hurricane Milton that saw the roof of Tropicana Field get destroyed, the Tampa Bay Rays reportedly are likely to be displaced for the start of the 2025 season.

According to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, "the only thing that seems certain" is that the Rays "won't be able to open the 2025 Major League Baseball season at home as planned on March 27."

Topkin added that Tampa Bay is facing a slew of question marks that it hopes to address in the coming weeks, including "where the Rays play, how long they are displaced and what repairs beyond a new custom roof are needed to return to Tropicana Field." The franchise is planning to open a new stadium at a site adjacent to Tropicana Field in 2028, but there was no way it could have prepared for the extensive damage caused by the recent extreme weather events.

Due to safety concerns, access to Tropicana Field has been "extremely limited," per Topkin. In addition to the destruction of the roof, it's likely that other areas in the stadium also sustained damage that could put the structural integrity into question.

The Rays' team leadership sent a brief memo to staff last week acknowledging that there are "more questions than answers." Topkin reported that another update for employees is planned for this week.

The team is facing the possibility of needing a temporary home for anywhere from a few months to a full season to even the full three years until the new stadium is opened. Topkin noted that there "will be a lengthy list of options, maybe 50 locations long." Multiple minor-league/spring stadiums in Florida could be viable options, and the Rays' Triple-A location in Durham, North Carolina, will also be under consideration.

As for the damages at Tropicana Field, the city of St. Petersburg is responsible for paying for repairs and has insurance to help cover the costs. However, the process of helping the stadium recover will not be simple.

"It's a little bit complicated how the fund works for Tropicana Field, but there is insurance on the property," city administrator Rob Gerdes said. "So that's the first thing we'll be looking at is the property insurance to help make repairs."