Tampa Bay Rays face uncertain MLB future

The Tampa Bay Rays have had to abandon their plans for a new stadium due to the damage caused by Hurricane Milton in early October, according to team owner Stuart Sternberg.

Where will the Tampa Bay Rays play in 2025?

“After careful deliberation, we have concluded that we cannot move forward with the new ballpark and development project at this moment,” Sternberg stated in a press release.

As a result, the Rays will play next season at Steinbrenner Field, the minor league park of the New York Yankees, which has a capacity of just 11,000 people, while they work on repairs from the natural disaster.

“The City of St. Petersburg is currently advancing plans to restore Tropicana Field for the 2026 season. We are thankful for their efforts and are excited to return to our home field next spring,” Sternberg added.

What will happen to the Tampa Bay Rays?

Despite Sternberg’s final comment, the future of the Tampa Bay Rays franchise is uncertain. They are coming off their first losing season since 2017, finishing with a record of 80 wins and 82 losses, and will not have home-field advantage this year.

As a result of their poor season, the Rays have let go of some of their best players, including Randy Arozarena, now with the Seattle Mariners, Isaac Paredes, who joined the Houston Astros, and Zach Eflin, now of the Baltimore Orioles, among others.

With three years left on their MLB contract and a dwindling fan base, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if Major League Baseball decided to relocate the team, similar to the Athletics, who will play in West Sacramento, California between 2025 and 2027 before moving to Las Vegas in 2028.

Original article written by Luis Guillermo Vázquez, translated with the assistance of AI and edited by Roddy Cons.

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