The Rays replaced more than 3,000 signs and images in the 11,000-capacity ballpark during a 120-hour makeover after the Yankees’ final home spring training game ended Sunday at 3:33 p.m. By the time of Friday’s first pitch shortly after 4 p.m., banners spelling \u201cR-A-Y-S\u201d covered the \u201cY-A-N-K-E-E-S\u201d signs above the first- and third-base stands and large photos of Shane McClanahan and Taj Bradley were on the back of the scoreboard, visible to cars driving in.<\/p>\n
An interlocking \u201cNY\u201d chandelier in the spacious Rays clubhouse was covered with a square canvas highlighting the Rays yellow, Columbia blue and white starburst with \u201cHome of the Rays\u201d written on each side. The replica of the Yankee Stadium frieze above each stall was concealed, too, and a mat with white \u201cTB\u201d letters was on the floor leading to the showers, obscuring tile the read \u201cThe Bronx\u201d and \u201cNew York,\u201d meant to emulate a subway.<\/p>\n
Clubhouse staff found a touchpad and changed the 12 thin ceiling lights, imitating Yankees pinstripes from white to deep blue.<\/p>\n
Misters were installed in the dugouts and bench padding was replaced along with the bat and helmet racks.<\/p>\n
But there were reminders this was a ballpark built for spring training’s expanded rosters \u2014 most Rays had two lockers. Just 39 of 77 stalls were occupied, including 25 of the 51 ringing the walls.<\/p>\n
\u201cNew York Yankees executive offices\u201d was etched in the doors of an office entrance and the statue of late Yankees owner George Steinbrenner and the display of New York’s retired numbers outside the ballpark remained unaltered. Yankees logos were in place at the end of each row in the seating bowl and while \u201cTB\u201d replaced a Yankees sign atop the scoreboard, the letters \u201cGeorge M. Steinbrenner Field\u201d remained underneath.<\/p>\n
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Chris O’Meara\/AP<\/p>\n
A Tampa Bay Rays banner hangs near a New York Yankees logo outside George M. Steinbrenner Field during a stadium tour Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo\/Chris O’Meara)<\/p>\n
Their locker room repurposed as the visitor manager’s office, umpires were moved to a trailer more than 100 feet beyond the left field corner, near a city street.<\/p>\n
Rays players luxuriated in facilities far more lavish than the ones they were accustomed to in the Trop: a two-level weight area, three therapy pools with TVs at water level, sauna red-light therapy, four batting cages and an indoor\/outdoor dining area.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s almost too much,\u201d said pitcher Zack Littell, prepping for his start Saturday. \u201cThere\u2019s so much space. I think if you had to complain about something, you have to walk a really long way to get places.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some players switched their season rentals from the St. Petersburg side of the bay to the Tampa flank, shortening their commute. Rays manager Kevin Cash said his 10-minute trek to the Trop was now a 30-minute drive.<\/p>\n
When he opened a drawer in his new desk, Cash came across a handwritten note from counterpart Aaron Boone.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe just said: `Enjoy it. You guys, hope to have good health,'” Cash recounted, expressing appreciation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis one was pretty classy. Some of the things that Tito leaves is not so classy,\u201d he said, referring playfully to new Cincinnati manager Terry Francona.<\/p>\n
While the visitors clubhouse is cramped, it is not uncomfortable. Extra space was created by moving the trainer’s room to what had been storage space.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve done everything they can to make this feel like a big league park,\u201d Colorado’s Kris Bryant said.<\/p>\n
Tampa Bay has played 2,148 games at the Trop, including the postseason, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Rays previous outdoor home games were a pair of series at Kissimmee, Florida, in 2007 and \u201908, games against the Yankees moved to New York\u2019s Citi Field in 2017 and in San Diego during the 2020 neutral-site postseason.<\/p>\n
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