Rays Release Shocking Images of Tropicana Field Damage After Hurricane Milton

The roof of Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays MLB team, was torn off by Hurricane Milton's powerful winds.
The roof of Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays MLB team, was torn off by Hurricane Milton's powerful winds. / Satellite image ©2024 Maxar Technologies / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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The Tampa Bay Rays won't play at their home ballpark, Tropicana Field, for a long while due to the excessive damage brought by Hurricane Milton. Repairs to the roof and other key parts of the stadium won't be finished until 2026 and will cost as much as $55.7 million.

On Monday, the Rays released photos from inside the stadium that showed the utter devastation which took place under the Trop's roof in early October.

Tropicana Field was set to be a shelter for first responders and other storm workers before the roof was damaged. In the new photos, you can see the emergency beds that were set up in the outfield and throughout the field's foul territory. Those bunks are still sitting there, amongst the mess. A truly sad sight.

Pieces of the shredded roof are scattered everywhere throughout the stadium. From where major leaguers stepped up to the plate to the dugouts and all the areas where fans enjoyed their hot dogs and popcorn.

Hurricane Milton landed about 70 miles south of Tampa with 100-plus MPH winds on Oct. 10 as it ripped the roof off of Tropicana Field and devastated all that's inside.

With a horrible scene left behind, the Rays will go elsewhere for their home games in 2025. The team will play the next season at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., the 11,000-seat ballpark and spring training home field for the New York Yankees.


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Blake Silverman
BLAKE SILVERMAN

Blake Silverman is a breaking/trending news writer at Sports Illustrated. Blake has covered the WNBA, NBA, G League and college basketball since 2021 for numerous sites including Winsidr, SB Nation's Detroit Bad Boys and A10Talk. He graduated from Michigan State University before receiving a master's degree in sports journalism from St. Bonaventure University. Outside of work, he's probably binging the latest Netflix documentary, at a yoga studio or enjoying everything Detroit sports. A lifelong Michigander, he lives in suburban Detroit with his wife, young son and their personal petting zoo of two cats and a dog.