Eric Church headlines special guest lineup as Rays return to Trop
ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays will have a few special guests on hand as they return to Tropicana Field on Monday for the ballpark’s first game since Sept. 22, 2024.
Country music star Eric Church will perform the national anthem before the Rays’ long-awaited home opener, which will be a sort of re-opening day celebration at Tropicana Field.
Church is a seven-time Academy of Country Music Award winner and 11-time Grammy Award nominee who will perform Saturday at Tampa’s Benchmark International Arena as part of his “Free The Machine Tour.” He has some experience singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" before big games in the Tampa Bay area, too: He performed the national anthem with Jazmine Sullivan before the Buccaneers beat the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium in 2021.
“This is a special moment for our team and our community, and we are excited to welcome ‘The Chief’ to Tropicana Field to celebrate our return and this magnificent moment for the community,” Rays CEO Ken Babby said in a statement. “The impact of the hurricane kept us on the road, so being back home and celebrating with an artist like Eric Church brings an extra level of excitement and emotion to this long-awaited return.”
The ceremonial first pitch will be thrown by St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, representing the Rays’ current home city and where they hope to build their future home.
The Rays will also recognize the efforts of the repair workers and club staff who helped rebuild the Trop over the past 18 months after it was significantly damaged during Hurricane Milton in October 2024. Those participants and their guests will take part in a special flag unfurling ceremony highlighting the strength and resiliency of the community.
The team is asking fans who will be in attendance as part of the sold-out crowd to be in their seats by 3:30 p.m. ET, when the pregame ceremonies are set to begin. Gates open to fans at 2:10 p.m., and Shane McClanahan’s first pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. Fans watching at home can tune in to Rays.TV for a special hourlong pregame show.