MLB commissioner details plan, schedule for Rays stadium

The Rays’ offseason has so far been dominated by questions surrounding Tropicana Field after badly damaged Hurricane Milton earlier this month. Although the damage is yet to be fully assessed, it seems clear that the club will not be able to start the season at their home stadium in 2025, and it remains a possibility that local officials will decide not to repair the pitch at all, instead replacing it. for the Trop, which is slated to be built by a 2028 opening day.

The unusual situation leaves many questions about the Rays’ short- and medium-term future, even if the club knows its long-term home through 2028 and beyond remains in St. Pete. Potential temporary homes such as Durham, North Carolina and Montreal have already been shot
down. Whereas MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred did expressed preference In order for the Rays to remain in the current market, local officials in St. Petersburg did this forewarned that they will be “fiscally responsible” as they try to find a way to keep the Rays in the area for the 2025-28 seasons.

Manfred made additional comments regarding Reiss’ situation Evan Drellich from Athletics. recently, for the first time, it helped schedule the implementation of the plan. While previous discussions about the future of the club simply stated that it would likely take several weeks to even fully assess the damage done to the Trop, Manfred told Drellich that the plan should be ready by the end of the year.

“I think they should have a good plan by Christmas,” Manfred said, as reported by Drellich. “and there is much in it.”

While two months isn’t necessarily a long time for the club to come up with a new plan for where it will play its games in 2025, even that relatively short amount of time could affect the Rays’ offseason as the club tries to go to court. potential free agents who won’t even know where they will play and live during the season if they sign with Tampa. Of course, the Rays have always been more prolific in the trade market than in free agency, and that has been proven once again this winter as they explore ways to revamp their roster and there are rumors that they may due to their rotation this winter If the lack of a clear home field affects the club’s free agent hiring, it’s possible they’ll have to focus even more on the trade market than usual this offseason.

Returning to the current stadium issues, Manfred suggested the league could “make it work” in a minor league park by adjusting not only the minor league team’s schedule, but perhaps even the Rays’ schedule if necessary. Using a minor league park or spring training facility could be a way for the club to stay in the current market even if the city decides not to renovate the Trop. Mark Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times notes that the Phillies and Yankees’ respective spring training facilities in Clearwater and Tampa appear to be the most likely local option for the Rays as a temporary home.

Of course, using a minor league facility risks running afoul of the MLBPA because of any negative effects the move could have on the players. Recently MLBPA head Tony Clark discussed the union’s role in the process, noting that they are limited in terms of their ability to influence the team’s choice of site, but they can ensure that stadium amenities are up to major league standards and ensure that players are not “harmed” by the move. One example of how the MLBPA works can be found in a similar situation on the West Coast due to the Athletics’ temporary relocation to Sacramento, where the club originally planned to use artificial turf but now keep using the herb on the field in 2025 after union intervention over concerns that artificial turf would retain too much heat.