2025 MLB Ballpark Changes, pt. 1
There are a ton of changes coming to some major league ballparks next season, some large, some small. We're going to profile a few of them this offseason. Think of it as a hot stove for ballparks.
The first big story is the horrific damage done to Tropicana Field by Hurricane Milton.
The ballpark is unplayable for the foreseeable future, and so the Rays (and MLB) quickly scrambled for a solution. It was important to try to keep the team close to home, and a replacement ballpark was quickly found just over 20 miles away in (ironically) Tampa. (The Tampa Bay Rays' home ballpark is actually in St. Pete.)
The Yankees and the Steinbrenner family have offered George M. Steinbrenner Field as the 2025 home for the Rays.
Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said in a statement:
“We are happy to extend our hand to the Rays and their fans by providing a Major League-quality facility for them to utilize this season.
Both the Yankees organization and my family have deep roots in the Tampa Bay region, and we understand how meaningful it is for Rays players, employees and fans to have their 2025 home games take place within 30 minutes of Tropicana Field.
In times like these, rivalry and competition take a back seat to doing what’s right for our community — which is continuing to help families and businesses rebound from the devastation caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.”
No doubt the Yankees franchise will be receiving compensation for this generosity, but this is still a solid move by the Yankees, helping a team that has beaten them in the AL East three of the last five years.
Steinbrenner Field is across the street from the Tampa Airport, as well as Raymond James Stadium, home of the Buccaneers.
The Bucs actually gave a warm welcome to the Rays, which was a nice touch.
The Yankees will spend Spring Training at Steinbrenner Field, and the Rays will have their Spring Training at their regular spring home, Charlotte Sports Park facility in Port Charlotte, Florida.
Steinbrenner Field is the usual regular season home for the Tampa Tarpons, the Single-A affiliate of the Yankees. Word is they will spend the season at another field in the Yankees complex in Tampa.
While Steinbrenner Field is one of the largest and most well-appointed ballparks in Spring Training, it will still be getting a few upgrades in preparation for hosting a full Major League season.
The Rays are in the process of getting a new ballpark, a splashy new field in the historic Gas Plant District of St Pete. Costing north of $1 Billion, the new ballpark is supposed to break ground in January and be ready for play in 2028, but legal hurdles are now making the 2028 date unlikely.
For 2026 and beyond, it looks like the Rays will be back in a repaired Tropicana Field. Estimates are running between $50-60 Million to get the ballpark back to playable condition, but it is expected to be ready for the 2026 season.