Spring Training 2025: A guide to Florida's Grapefruit League

Torn Teflon. Stadium bonds. Bed taxes. For months, these have been boilerplate headlines regarding the Tampa Bay Rays.

There’s been report after report about building a new stadium, repairing hurricane-damaged Tropicana Field and how to pay for both.

Hardly talkin’ baseball. But as the calendar flips to February, spring training is upon Florida. And for Rays fans, that means brief relief from contentious stadium discourse.

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For about six weeks, there’s no uncertainty over where the Rays will take the field.

That would be Charlotte Sports Park, the Rays’ longtime preseason home, which welcomes pitchers and catchers Feb. 11 and the rest of the club Feb. 16.

The same week, Florida’s spring training season also begins for 14 Major League Baseball teams in what is known as the Grapefruit League. That includes these Tampa Bay area teams:

New York Yankees, Steinbrenner Field, TampaPhiladelphia Phillies, BayCare Ballpark, ClearwaterToronto Blue Jays, TD Ballpark, DunedinPittsburgh Pirates, LECOM Park, BradentonBaltimore Orioles, Ed Smith Stadium, SarasotaDetroit Tigers, Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland

Interestingly, the Rays open spring play at Steinbrenner Field against the Yankees on Feb. 22. While the Trop is in disrepair, Tampa Bay will be playing regular-season games at the 11,000-seat Tampa ballpark, so it will give the team an early feel for playing outdoors instead of a dome.

“I do think it’s going to be a challenge. But I think it’s going to be a fun, exciting, good challenge,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said of calling the Yankees’ field home. “We’re going to do everything we can to make the most of it. It’s just going to be a little different being outdoors now.”

The Rays return to Steinbrenner Field to play the Yankees on March 23, five days before switching to the home clubhouse for the season, opening against the Colorado Rockies.

The Rays’ Fan Fest this year has been moved to Pier in St. Petersburg. It’s on Feb. 15 from 1 to 5 p.m. Click here for information.

To help you plan your spring training experiences, here is a team-by-team rundown with locations, ticket information and schedules.

After all, the crack of the bat beats the bang of the meeting gavel on any spring day, right?

Atlanta BravesLocation: CoolToday Park, North PortReporting dates: Feb. 12 (pitchers/catchers); Feb. 18 (full squad)

Spring Training 2025: A guide to Florida’s Grapefruit League

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