ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It’s the end of the season and the end of an era for the Tampa Bay Rays.
The team held an end-of-season news conference on Tuesday, the same day they confirmed that an ownership group led by Florida-based business executive Patrick Zalupski has closed on the purchase of the Rays.
It also marks the end of the Rays’ time at Steinbrenner Field, where the team played the 2025 season after Hurricane Milton damaged Tropicana Field last October.
The spring training home of the New York Yankees served its purpose, but the Rays are ready to go home. Repair work continues on the Trop’s roof.
“Playing in (Steinbrenner Field), it’s no excuse for the record (77-85), but this was a lot. It was a long year,” said Erik Neander, vice president of baseball operations.
For the second straight year, the Rays failed to make the postseason, as the strange year that saw them playing home games at the Yankees spring training stadium ended much sooner than they hoped.
Pitching woes, production woes and even the unfamiliarity with playing in someone else’s stadium all played a role in Tampa Bay’s losing season.
But as the organization transitions into new ownership, there is a belief inside the organization that this team is close to returning to the time when its seasons end in October with playoff baseball.
Repair work continues at Tropicana Field, which was damaged last October by Hurricane Milton. (Sky 9)
“I think back about the last 20 years, we’ve accomplished a lot,” Neander said. “We’ve come a really long way. There’s been a lot of reflection over the last several weeks about just how far we’ve come. And really, really proud of the accomplishments we’ve made. We’ve legitimized this franchise.”
The Rays have made eight postseasons since their surprising run to the World Series in 2008. They also reached the World Series in the 2020 season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic. The run includes four American League East titles.
“We’ve put into place where the expectations are high, where there’s disappointment when you have a year like this or a year like last year,” Neander said. “That says a lot about where we stand today.”
Neander couldn’t say a lot about new ownership, other than there is an expectation to win. How much money the team will spend and where its forever home will be located remain question marks.
The team does plan to return to Tropicana Field in 2026.
And Yankees fans will be glad to see their logos returning to Steinbrenner Field. All the Rays signage that took over the area is being taken down as the team’s fans can again look forward to baseball with air conditioning next season.