The Tampa Bay Rays will return to Tropicana Field in 2026 after a year away from its home stadium after it was damaged by Hurricane Milton in October 2024.
The Rays on Thursday began sales for single-game tickets for the 2026 season.
“We are excited to return home to Tropicana Field in April and to once again join our fans and neighboring businesses in downtown St. Petersburg in celebrating the return of Rays Baseball,” Rays CEO Ken Babby said in a statement, per MLB.com.
Tropicana Field, which opened in 1990, suffered “extensive damage” as a result of Hurricane Milton, including having its roof torn off, as well as ceilings and team offices, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
With Tropicana Field unplayable for the 2025 season, the Rays played their home games at Steinbrenner Field Tampa, which is home to the New York Yankees’ Triple-A team.
During an introductory press conference in October, Babby said Tropicana Field would “look better than it ever has looked” for the Rays’ home opener against the Chicago Cubs on April 6, 2026.
In addition, more than two-thirds of seats at Tropicana Field have had their ticket prices reduced by a average of 15%, the Rays said. The team also announced plans for an expanded main video board, a new sound system and new video displays behind home plate and along both foul poles.
“Tampa’s return to a major league ballpark will be welcomed by players, coaches and reporters alike,” said Joe Noga, Cleveland Guardians reporter for cleveland.com / The Plain Dealer. “Having covered Cleveland’s series at George M. Steinbrenner field in September, I can attest to the limitations of a minor league facility, albeit one of the premier ballparks in baseball’s minor leagues as part of the Yankees’ farm system.
“On the wall in the visitor’s clubhouse, Rays attendants hung a photo of a post-hurricane Tropicana Field showing the shredded roof and scattered debris around the ballpark. It served as a stark reminder to any visiting player who might feel like complaining about the cramped quarters or lack of amenities available that things could be much worse.
“Everybody will be happy to be back in their customary spots when the Trop reopens for baseball, making the inconvenience of the 2025 season merely a footnote,” he added.
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