In an unprecedented move, Major League Baseball has substantially reworked the Tampa Bay Rays’ 2025 schedule in response to the extensive damage Hurricane Milton inflicted on Tropicana Field last October. The alterations, announced Monday, aim to minimize the impact of the open-air conditions at the Rays’ temporary home, Steinbrenner Field, during the peak of the summer season.
A Tale of Two Seasons
The revised schedule presents a stark contrast between the first and second halves of the Rays’ 2025 campaign. Tampa Bay will play a staggering 47 of their first 59 games at home, with 13 of their first 16 contests at Steinbrenner Field. However, the script flips dramatically from June onward, as the Rays will be on the road for 69 of their final 103 games.
According to sources familiar with the situation, MLB’s rationale for this unorthodox arrangement is to avoid the worst of the summer weather at the Rays’ temporary open-air facility. The Class A Tampa Tarpons, Steinbrenner Field’s usual tenants, experienced significant disruptions due to inclement weather this past season, with six home postponements, two cancellations, and four suspended games from June 21 through their September 8 finale.
Key Series Moved
As part of the schedule overhaul, MLB has shifted two of the Rays’ series against the Los Angeles Angels. The early April series, initially slated for Angel Stadium, will now take place at Steinbrenner Field from April 8-10. The August series, originally scheduled for St. Petersburg, will move to Anaheim from August 4-6.
Similarly, the Rays’ first series against the Minnesota Twins will now be played in Tampa from May 26-28, with the second series shifting to Target Field in Minneapolis from July 4-6.
An Extended Homestand
Under the new schedule, the Rays will open the season with six home games against the Colorado Rockies and Pittsburgh Pirates before embarking on a three-game road trip to Texas. They’ll then return to Steinbrenner Field for a mammoth 13-game homestand featuring series against the Angels, Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, and New York Yankees.
“Playing so many early home games is going to be a challenge, but we’ll make the best of it,” a Rays player told reporters on condition of anonymity. “We know it’s not ideal, but we’re just focused on competing and winning games, wherever we’re playing.”
The Road Ahead
While the front-loaded home schedule may provide a boost out of the gate, the Rays will face a daunting second-half gauntlet away from Tampa. They’ll play just eight home games apiece in July and August, a stark departure from the typical balanced slate.
The unbalanced schedule is sure to test the mettle of a Rays squad that has grown accustomed to the controlled environment of Tropicana Field. With the Trop’s repairs slated to take until at least 2026, the Rays must quickly adapt to their new, unpredictable reality.
Uncertainty Looms
As the Rays navigate this uncharted territory, questions linger about the long-term future of baseball in the Tampa Bay area. With Tropicana Field’s viability in doubt and no clear path to a new permanent home, the franchise finds itself at a crossroads.
“We’re focused on 2025 and making the best of the situation we’re in,” a high-ranking Rays official said. “But there’s no question that we need to find a sustainable, long-term solution for this franchise and this community.”
For now, the Rays and their fans must embrace the unconventional, even as they yearn for the stability and comfort of a place to truly call home. In a season unlike any other, the only certainty is that the road ahead will be long, winding, and fraught with challenges – both on and off the field.
