Baltimore Orioles Division Rival To Call Steinbrenner Field Home Next Season

The Baltimore Orioles will have to play on of its AL East rivals in a Spring Training owned by another AL East rival in 2025.

Sep 8, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Christopher Morel (24) hits a single during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. / Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

Following Hurricane Milton's damage to Tropicana Field, the home of the Tampa Bay Rays, the Baltimore Orioles division rival will play their games at Tampa's Steinbrenner Field in 2025.

The Rays made a formal announcement on Thursday. The Rays had been seeking an interim home since the storm hit.

Steinbrenner Field is where the New York Yankees play their Spring Training games.

“We deeply appreciate that the Yankees have graciously allowed us to play at Steinbrenner Field for the 2025 season,” Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg said in a statement. “The hurricane damage to Tropicana Field has forced us to take some extraordinary steps, just as Hurricanes Helene and Milton have forced thousands of families and businesses in our community to adapt to new circumstances as we all recover and rebuild.’’

The Rays will conduct spring training at the Charlotte Sports Complex in Port Charlotte, Fla., which is their normal spring training home. But their 81 home games will be played in Tampa.

A repair plan was announced on Tuesday, indicating that Tropicana Field won't host a game until the 2026 season, a tough blow to Tampa Bay.

For the Orioles, this means they'll have fewer fans in the stadium in half the games they play against the Rays.

While a devastating blow to the city and players, Tampa Bay will at least get to play in the city next season. There were talks about them playing in nearby Clearwater, but this agreement allows the Rays to stay in the city.

Baltimore players will need to be ready for some serious heat in the middle of the campaign. In the middle of the summer, a stadium without a roof in Florida could get tough to play in.

The field also has decent dimensions for Orioles hitters: left field is 318 feet, center field is 408 feet, and right field is 314 feet.

MLB.com reported that Steinbrenner Field was in the process of being renovated to improve its clubhouse and playing facilities. Other recent upgrades to the ballpark include upgraded field lighting, expanded home clubhouse space and improved training and rehabilitation capabilities.

There have been talks over the past few years about Major League Baseball moving the Rays to a different city, but commissioner Rob Manfred said last month that he'd like the team to stay in the Tampa Bay area.

For the time being, he got his wish.