Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Park Reportedly Could Host Tampa Bay Rays in 2025

If Hurricane Milton renders Tropicana Field unplayable for any period of time, the Blue Jays player development complex in Dunedin, Fla., is reportedly a candidate for the Tampa Bay Rays.

A Toronto Blue Jays hat and glove in the dugout during the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Rogers Centre. / John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

According to a report from Jesse Rogers of ESPN, the Toronto Blue Jays' minor league complex in Dunedin, Fla. is reportedly a candidate to house the Tampa Bay Rays home ballpark in 2025.

Tropicana Field, the home of the Rays, was badly damaged in Hurricane Milon recently. It's unknown if the building will be usable at all in 2025, but it certainly looks like the Rays will at least need a temporary home at the outset of the season.

Per Rogers:

(Commissioner Rob) Manfred indicated there are several options available if Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, isn't ready for Opening Day. They include playing at a minor league or spring facility, with a source saying Tampa, Dunedin and Clearwater are among the possible nearby cities.

Manfred has indicated that the league would like an update on Tropicana Field by the Christmas holiday. The Rays are still gathering intel on the damage that will reportedly take weeks.

The Blue Jays facility in Dunedin was updated heading into 2021 and the following comes from an article on the Jays website:

After two years and nearly $100 million, Toronto unveiled its brand-new player development complex on Thursday, a transition from a subpar facility to what president and CEO Mark Shapiro called “the best complex in all of Major League Baseball” in October. During the Blue Jays’ virtual unveiling, Shapiro lauded it as a facility “that can help directly contribute to bringing World Series championships back to Canada.”

The Blue Jays utilize the Dunedin facility for spring training and for their Single-A club. The major league team played there for a portion of 2021 because of the COVID pandemic.

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