Rays are victorious in return to Tropicana Field after Hurricane Milton tore off the roof in 2024
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — With cowbells ringing in the stands, Bryan Baker was fired up after striking out Pete Crow-Armstrong to give the Tampa Bay Rays a triumphant return to Tropicana Field.
Back home for the first time in 561 days after Hurricane Milton shredded the roof and caused extensive damage throughout the stadium, the Rays beat the Chicago Cubs 6-4 on Monday in front of a sellout crowd of 25,114. “It felt pretty good to say the least,” Baker said of his reaction to the final pitch. “I think that was an encapsulation of how everybody felt getting back in this building and playing in front of these fans.
To get out there and seal the deal for the boys was really fun. ” It cost nearly $60 million to replace the titled roof and rebuild the Trop after a hurricane swept through downtown St. Petersburg on Oct.
9, 2024. High wind ripped sections of the original roof, allowing rain to fall into the stadium bowl for months. Water caused mold and damage to electrical, sound and broadcast systems.
The new roof was installed last August while the Rays played their 2025 season across the bay in Tampa at Steinbrenner Field — the spring training home of the New York Yankees. The final panel was put in place Nov. 21.