Rays Have Found a Home for 2025

Photo by George M. Steinbrenner Field

TAMPA, FL: George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida, has been selected as the Rays' temporary home for the 2025 campaign. The Tampa Tarpons, New York's Single-A club, play their regular season games at Steinbrenner Field, where the Yankees practice in the spring.

The Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin and Colleen Wright broke the story first. Steinbrenner Field is "the best-prepared facility in the Tampa Bay region to host regular-season Major League Baseball games," according to Topkin, which is how the Rays justified their choice.

Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner had this to say,

“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.”

According to the league, the Rays will host their games at their yearly home in Port Charlotte in March, and the Yankees will continue to play their spring games at Steinbrenner Field. According to Tim Kephart of the Associated Press, the Tarpons will use different fields at the spring facility during the regular season.

According to the league's press statement, improvements will be made to the stadium before Opening Day to "ensure fans continue to have a wonderful experience." The facility itself has already undergone recent upgrades, such as better training and rehabilitation sets, a larger home locker room, and updated lighting. Kephart claims that by agreeing to host, the Yankees will earn an extra $15 million.