Yankees Lend Spring Training Stadium to Rays for 2025 Season

The Yankees have granted permission for a division rival to use their spring training field in a time of need.

Mar 25, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; a general view of the stadium before a game between the New York Mets and New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The New York Yankees are offering a helping hand to a division rival.

According to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, the Tampa Bay Rays will be playing their 2025 home games at George M. Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees' spring training facility. This announcement comes in the wake of severe damage to the Rays' home ballpark, Tropicana Field.

BREAKING: #Rays are planning to play 2025 season at Tampa's Steinbrenner Field.
Story soon on https://t.co/Vy8xnjpbqP

— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) November 14, 2024

When Hurricane Milton impacted the Tampa Bay region in October, the Rays' stadium was being used as a base camp for first responders; the storm's powerful winds tore through the fiberglass roof and rendered the stadium unplayable until 2026 at the earliest.

The Rays were considering numerous options for a 2025 ballpark, which even included the possibility of playing outside of Florida, but settled on Steinbrenner Field due to its proximity and size; with 11,000 seats, it is the largest spring training site in Florida. The Yankees' spring training facility is also located in downtown Tampa and right next to Raymond James Stadium (home of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers); this allows the Rays to play closer to their core fanbase, as Tropicana Field is located in farther-away St. Petersburg.

Yankees' principal owner Hal Steinbrenner subsequently released a statement that gave the Rays his blessing to use the facility.

"We are happy to extend our hand to the Rays and their fans by providing a Major League-quality facility for them to utilize this season," Steinbrenner said. "Both the Yankees organization and my family have deep roots in the Tampa Bay region, and we understand how meaningful it is for Rays players, employees and fans to have their 2025 home games take place within 30 minutes of Tropicana Field. In times like these, rivalry and competition take a back seat to doing what’s right for our community — which is continuing to help families and businesses rebound from the devastation caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton."

The decision to lend Steinbrenner Field to the Rays will impact the Yankees' Single-A affiliate, the Tampa Tarpons, who will look to use other fields available in the region. Nonetheless, the Bronx Bombers will receive $15 million in revenue for the arrangement.

"This is a heavy lift for the Yankees. This is a huge ask by us and baseball of the Yankees," Rays' principal owner Stuart Sternberg said. "[Hal Steinbrenner] did not waver for one second. I couldn't have been more grateful."