TAMPA, Fla. — It’s Opening Day and the Tampa Bay Rays are set to begin a season unlike any other in the team’s 28 years of existence.
Chased away from Tropicana Field by Hurricane Milton’s winds last fall and staring at an uncertain future as stadium issues have become front and center, the team has revamped across the Bay.
Welcome to Tropicana Field Slightly North — sort of.
What You Need To Know
- It's Opening Day 2025: Here's what you need to know
- Friday's Bay area weather forecast
- A revamped and refurbished Steinbrenner Field is the Rays' new home: Take a look
- Tampa Bay Rays ticket information
- Steinbrenner Field parking and stadium information
- Traffic information
- Rays to have 'clear bag policy' at Steinbrenner Field in 2025 | Read all of the 2025 Tampa Bay Rays security policies
- Opening Day FAQ: Rockies vs. Rays
- RELATED: Rays aim to make players, fans at home at Steinbrenner Field
- WATCH: Special LIVE Coverage of Opening Day at 2:30 p.m. on Spectrum Bay News 9
A revamped and refurbished Steinbrenner Field is the Rays’ new home. Intimate for sure with around 11,000 in capacity but also prone to outdoor issues in Tampa Bay come summertime, namely heat and thunderstorms. Friday’s opener is sold out.
Rays manager Kevin Cash said his team would be ready for the new (at home, anyway) circumstances.
“There is an added element to it,” Cash said. “I’d like to think we’re going to have some time to build into that. Generally speaking, we’re going to have some pretty beautiful weather for the first month or two. We’ll have a little better understanding of who we are as a pitching group and as a team going into some of those hot summer months.
“Our players, I give them a lot of credit. They’re very aware. They’ve done a lot of work this offseason having that in the back of their mind. We’ve probably thrown more outdoor bullpens this year coming into camp than maybe we have in the past. We’ll do everything we can to adjust on the fly as needed.”
Tampa Bay went 80-82 last season, ending a streak of five straight postseason appearances.
- In order to better prepare fans for weather conditions around Steinbrenner Field, the Rays will launch a webpage for fans to monitor weather before and during their trip to the ballpark. Fans can visit RaysBaseball.com/Weather beginning on Opening Day for more information and to stay up-to-date.
- WATCH: St. Pete won't host Opening Day for first time in Rays history
For starters Friday, Ryan Pepiot will be on the mound against the Colorado Rockies. Shane McClanahan was set to start but has been shelved with "nerve irritation" in his left arm during a spring training game last week.
As for the batting order, Yandy Diaz (DH) will lead off followed by possible big bats in Brandon Lowe (2B), Junior Caminero (38) and Josh Lowe (RF). The middle of the order will be LF Christopher Morel, Curtis Mead (1B) and catcher Danny Jansen. Taylor Walls (SS) and Jonny DeLuca will fill the 8th and 9th spots.
First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. The game will be shown on MLB.TV as well as FanDuel Sports Network Sun (the Rays’ regional sports network).
The game will air on the radio in the Tampa Bay area on WDAE 620 AM/95.3 FM and the Rays Radio Network.
