Tampa Bay Rays Experience First Home Rain Delay in Franchise History at Steinbrenner Field

The Tampa Bay Rays experienced their first-ever official weather delay during a home game at Steinbrenner Field in 2025, a historic event for the franchise that previously never had a weather delay in their 27 years at Tropicana Field. This season, the Rays are playing outdoors due to hurricane damage to the Tropicana Field roof caused by Hurricane Milton in October 2024, which has necessitated the use of Steinbrenner Field while repairs are underway. The initial delay, caused by the threat of storms, postponed the game's start by 27 minutes, followed by a 38-minute in-game rain delay during the fifth inning, during which fans used commemorative ponchos distributed by the team to mark the occasion. Despite the weather interruptions, the Rays secured a dramatic 3-2 walk-off victory against the Milwaukee Brewers, highlighted by Travis Jankowski's game-winning single. The Rays' grounds crew, with limited tarp experience, prepared for the weather challenges by practicing tarp deployment with input from Yankees staff familiar with Steinbrenner Field. The club hopes to return to their repaired domed stadium for the 2026 MLB season.