Major League Baseball has recently announced that the Tampa Bay Rays are permitted to hold any home postseason games at their temporary venue, Steinbrenner Field. As reported by MLB.com, the Rays are currently using this stadium due to significant repairs at Tropicana Field, which was badly affected by Hurricane Milton in October 2024.

While Tropicana Field is anticipated to be ready for the 2026 season, it won’t be available to host playoff games. If the Rays qualify for the postseason, they would utilize this smaller venue that accommodates 10,046 fans, typically home to the Single-A Tampa Tarpons. This situation poses the intriguing prospect of games of such significance taking place in a venue of limited capacity.

In the current playoff structure, the second and third wild-card teams in each league don’t host a game unless they progress to the Division Series. For the Rays to guarantee a playoff game at home, they must secure the top wild-card spot in the American League or win their division. Presently, they stand at 50-47, which places them fourth in the tightly contested AL East, a mere 1.5 games trailing the Seattle Mariners for the final wild-card position. Their +61 run differential suggests they may be slightly underperforming and could likely have a better record.

They are entering the latter half of the season with a struggling record of 3-9 for July, a trend that will need to change quickly if they intend to close the gap.

Steinbrenner Field
Getty Images