Rays to Play 47 of First 59 Games in 2025 MLB Season at Home After Schedule Changes

A pair of schedule changes made by MLB on Monday will result in a unique start to the 2025 season for the Tampa Bay Rays.

According to the Associated Press, MLB switched a pair of series involving the Rays to the first two months of the season in hopes of avoiding summer weather problems at their temporary home of Steinbrenner Field, so 47 of the team's first 59 games will be played at home.

The Rays had their series against the Los Angeles Angels moved from April 7-9 in Anaheim to Tampa on April 8-10. A series against the Minnesota Twins scheduled for May 26-28 was moved from Target Field to Tampa on the same dates.

After starting the season with most of their games at home, the Rays will be on the road for 69 out of their last 103 games. They play just eight home games in both July and August.

The move to Steinbrenner Field, which is usually home to the Class A Tampa Tarpons, was necessitated by the devastating damage to Tropicana Field following Hurricane Milton last month. The stadium's roof was destroyed, and the Associated Press noted that it's believed the Rays won't be able to return until 2026 at the earliest, if at all.

The Rays are coming off an 80-82 finish to the 2024 season, which ended their streak of five straight playoff appearances. The franchise has been planning to open a new stadium in 2028 at a site adjacent to Tropicana Field, but the team said last week those plans will likely be delayed due to a combination of severe hurricane damage and political delays on financing.