Rays on relocation: 'We are committed to making baseball work in the Tampa Bay region'

The Tampa Bay Rays issued a statement Monday claiming the franchise has not discussed moving the team to Montreal or any other city.

"We are committed to making baseball work in the Tampa Bay region," the statement read. "We will do everything we can to make that happen and right now things are moving in a productive and positive direction."

Monday's response comes after a report published in the New York Daily News alleged Rays owner Stuart Sternberg has had discussions with Wall Street associates regarding a potential relocation to Montreal. 

The report cites Sternberg's difficulty in getting approval on a new stadium, and the Expos' strong fan base.

"Say what you will about Montreal," a source told the Daily News' Bill Madden, "but the Expos drew well over two million fans four times there in their heyday, while the Rays did that only once, their first year."

The Rays enter their most uncertain offseason in years after the sudden departures of general manager Andrew Friedman and skipper Joe Maddon this month.