The Rays are uncertain about where they’ll play in 2025 after Hurricane Milton damaged the Tropicana Field roof. One option that will not be under consideration: Montreal. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports that the city’s Olympic Stadium — the former home of the Expos and a speculated possibility for the Rays — is undergoing an $870MM renovation to replace its own roof. The stadium will not be available for three years.
“Until 2028, the field of play will be within a construction site and therefore not open to the public,” the stadium’s communications officer told Topkin via email. Montreal is the second city to back away from serving as a potential temporary home for the franchise. The Durham Bulls, home of the organization’s Triple-A affiliate, released a statement earlier this week saying they “do not anticipate hosting (the Rays) for a full season due to schedules overlapping and other logistical challenges.”
The Rays still haven’t confirmed they won’t be able to play all of next season at the Trop. Topkin reported earlier in the week that the facility was unlikely to be repaired by Opening Day, however. The Rays are scheduled to open a new stadium in St. Petersburg in 2028. Assuming that timeline isn’t delayed, it’s not clear if the organization and city will find it worthwhile to repair Tropicana Field if the team is leaving the Trop after three years anyhow.
Montreal was mentioned as a possibility largely because the Rays flirted with the idea of playing there a few years ago. While the Rays were trying to secure public funding for their new stadium, owner Stuart Sternberg floated a plan to divide the team’s home games between Tampa Bay and Montreal. MLB’s executive council killed the idea in January 2022. The Rays turned back to securing the funding for the new facility in St. Petersburg, which was approved this past July. Topkin’s column lists a few other cities the Rays might consider if the Trop is unavailable.
Rsox
The Rays and A’s traveling road show coming soon to MLB…
Acoss1331
They can borrow the White Sox park. Not like there’s much of a team worth using the stadium right now. Jerry will find a way to fit both teams.
Four4fore
Port Charlotte?
SweetBabyRayKingsThickThighs
Its been a dump well before the Expos left
Joe Kerr
The Braves have a nice spring training park in Orlando. There are other closer spring training ballparks they could use.
cr4
This is the most realistic option as much as I want them to go to the Coliseum for pure comedy purposes
Foothills R
Oakland has a baseball park available in 2025. Or go make big money by playing in various parks around the world — Japan, Mexico, Korea, China — TB – Traveling Baseball.
truthlemonade
Asia is not an option as travel would be brutal. Monterrey Mexico might make sense, but Monterrey already has a summer baseball team. As do the Asian cities.
thickiedon
Couldn’t they play in San Juan like the Expos did?
sad tormented neglected mariners fan
Next stop: jarry park
Thomas L
Omaha has basically an MlB stadium that’s empty almost all summer. They’ve hosted MLB and frankly it’s more than big enough for Tampa
Jackalopal
I hear the oakland collesium is open
cr4
St Pete needs to stop holding the Rays hostage at this point especially considering the Trop was already a dump now it’s going to be exponentially worse. Let them go ahead with stadium plans in downtown Tampa already they’ve ruined this franchise for long enough this needs to be the last straw