Major League Baseball decided the Tampa Bay Rays will play all potential 2025 playoff games, including the World Series, in their temporary home ballpark at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
"Our rule has always been that people play in their home stadiums during the World Series," MLB commissioner Rob Manfred told Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times on Monday. "And I'm not of a mind to change that rule. I understand it's a unique situation. It's different, but that's where they're playing. That's where they're going to play their games."
The league will allow the Rays to host postseason contests at Steinbrenner Field despite its regular-season seating capacity of 10,046 fans. There had been discussions about the Rays playing at neutral sites because of concerns about capacity and revenue.
Manfred acknowledged the possibility that more seats could be added.
"We'll do the best we can to make the facilities good and service as many fans as we can," Manfred said.
The Rays are playing at the New York Yankees' spring training ballpark this season because Hurricane Milton caused major damage to Tropicana Field in October 2024. The team is on track to return to the Trop for the 2026 campaign after St. Petersburg City Council voted in early April to spend $22.5 million to fix the stadium's roof.
