Rays open the 2024 season with a two-team, seven-game homestand

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.— The Tampa Bay Rays welcome fans back to Tropicana Field on Thursday, March 28 for a season opening two-team, seven-game homestand against the Toronto Blue Jays (March 28-31) and Texas Rangers (April 1-3). The Rays 2024 season is presented by Orlando Health.

Thursday, March 28 vs. Toronto Blue Jays

• First Pitch: 4:10 p.m.
• Gates Open: 2:10 p.m.
• Promotion: Schedule Magnet presented by Orlando Health. Available to the first 20,000 fans.
• Color Guard: Presented by Petersburg Police Department Honor Guard
• National Anthem: Performed by Ali Regan from The Girl From the North Country, now showing at the Straz Center through March 31, with ASL by Hailey Kerrigan
• Ceremonial First Pitch: Thrown by Larry Murphy, Head Coach of the men’s 4-A State Championship basketball team from Gibbs High School. The varsity men’s basketball team secured their first state title in 55 years.
• Pregame Presentation: A large flag will be unfurled in center field by representatives from Suncoast Credit Union, GMF Steel & Orlando Health.
• To access video of the Opening Day logo being painted on the field, click

Friday, March 29 vs. Toronto Blue Jays

• First Pitch: 6:50 p.m.
• Gates Open: 5:20 p.m.
• Color Guard: Presented by Booker High School JROTC
• National Anthem: Performed by Maxine Reyes
• Randy Land: For every Friday home game, fans can purchase tickets for Randy Land in sections 141 or 143 for $56. Tickets include a Randy Arozarena T-shirt. Additionally, if Arozarena hits a home run during the game, fans in Randy Land receive a free Viva Tequila Seltzer, soda or water. To purchase tickets in Randy Land, go to com/Randyland.
• Ticket Specials: Salute to Service - 25 percent off Lower Box, 200 Level and Lower Reserved for Military, First Responders & Teachers.
• Concessions and Merchandise Specials: 90s themed snacks and beverages at the center field Grab N’ Go location (Gate 7) and Bird & Batter Express location (Section 142 in right field).

Saturday, March 30 vs. Toronto Blue Jays

• First Pitch: 4:10 p.m.
• Gates Open: 2:10 p.m.
• Color Guard: Presented by B. Plant High School JROTC
• National Anthem: Performed by Katie Ducharme with ASL by Emily Hobbs
• Pregame Presentation: First baseman Yandy Díaz will receive his 2023 Silver Slugger and American League Batting Title awards. Díaz finished the 2023 season with a .330 batting average, 173 hits and 22 home runs, all career-highs. In his breakout season, Díaz earned his first All-Star selection and became the first player in franchise history to win an American League batting title.
• Ceremonial First Pitch: Thrown by USF Men’s Basketball Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim
• Rays First Pitch: Thrown by Ilfaut Joseph
• Play Ball: Announced by Brett Cochol
• In-Game Presentation: The Rays Baseball Foundation will present the Hillsborough Education Foundation with a partnership grant of $50,000.

Sunday, March 31 vs. Toronto Blue Jays

• First Pitch: 1:40 p.m.
• Gates Open: 11:40 a.m.
• Promotion: Jose Siri Replica Necklace presented by DEX Imaging. Available to the first 12,000 fans.
• Color Guard: Presented by Dunedin High School JROTC Color Guard
• National Anthem: Performed by Amanda Breivogel with ASL by Hailey Kerrigan
• Pregame Presentation: Kids Take the Field Presented by RIPA & Associates. Youth Baseball & Softball Day Presentation featuring a pregame parade of all youth Baseball and Softball Leagues in attendance for Sunday’s game. Kids from Crystal River Little League will also take the field with Rays players during pregame presentations.
• In-Game Presentation: The Rays Baseball Foundation will present Burg Baseball with a partnership grant of $15,000.
• Ticket Specials: Salute to Service - 25 percent off Lower Box, 200 Level and Lower Reserved for Military, First Responders & Teachers.

Monday, April 1 vs. Texas Rangers

• First Pitch: 6:50 p.m.
• Gates Open: 5:20 p.m.
• Color Guard: Presented by Newsome High School Army JROTC Color Guard
• National Anthem: Performed by Genessa Aliberti with ASL by Thia Sandefur
• Magic Monday: Buddy Baseball, a non-competitive recreational league serving the Tampa Bay community for boys and girls ages 8 to 22 with unique abilities, will join Rays players on the field for batting practice and serve as honorary coaches during the singing of the National Anthem.
• Rays First Pitch: Thrown by Burt R. Summerfield, Associate Director at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. With over 40 years of experience, Summerfield leads strategic planning and business development. His expertise in environmental health and business administration drives NASA’s mission forward, shaping the future of space exploration. Summerfield and NASA are gearing up for the total solar eclipse on April 8th.
• Ticket Specials: Salute to Service - Two complimentary tickets for Military, First Responders & Teachers.

Tuesday, April 2 vs. Texas Rangers

• First Pitch: 6:50 p.m.
• Gates Open: 5:20 p.m.
• Color Guard: Presented by Petersburg Fire Rescue Honor Guard
• National Anthem: Performed by Melanie Simpson
• Tuesday’s Champion: Before every Tuesday home game, the Rays recognize a child from the Make-A-Wish Foundation or the Children’s Dream Fund as part of the Tuesday’s Champion program, presented by RIPA & Associates. The Rays will host 15-year-old Sadie Dutton from the Children’s Dream Fund. As part of Sadie’s special day as a Tuesday’s Champion, she will meet Rays players and throw out a ceremonial first pitch. Sadie was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma. She loves drawing and spending time with her family.
• Ticket Specials: Ballpark Pass holders will be eligible to add up to two (2) guest passes for this game at no additional charge.

Wednesday, April 3 vs. Texas Rangers

• First Pitch: 1:10 p.m.
• Gates Open: 11:40 a.m.
• Color Guard: Presented by Fivay High School NJROTC Color Guard
• National Anthem: Performed by Giselle Gutierrez from Doubtfire, performing at the Straz Center from April 2-7, with ASL by Thia Sandefur.
• Rays First Pitch: Thrown by Robert Elliot, founder of Engage Pickleball.
• Ceremonial First Pitch: Thrown by New Era Auction Winner, Gavin Halas.

Additional Homestand Highlights

• Papa John’s Rays 6 Promotion: If the Rays score six runs or more in either home or away games (win or lose), fans can receive 50 percent off their online pizza order the next day at com or through the Papa John’s app.
• Kane’s Furniture 10K Promotion: If Rays pitchers strike out 10 batters during a home game, take your mobile ticket located in the MLB Ballpark app or a print-at-home voucher to any Kane’s Furniture store within five days and receive a coupon for One Free Taco & Chips at participating area Tijuana Flats locations! Restrictions apply. For more information visit KanesStrikeout.com.
• Budweiser Hit the Buds: If a Rays Player hits a home run in the designated area at the Budweiser Porch (above the pitch clock) fans will receive BOGO Budweiser and Bud Light at the Budweiser Porch the following Rays game up until first pitch.
• Budweiser Good Sport Designated Driver Program: Pledge to be a designated driver by abstaining from alcohol by signing up via the Ballpark App. Sign up with your contact information, receive a confirmation email and then show it to a representative at Guest Services Gate 1 or 3. Each fan who signs up will receive a small cup good for a soda or water at Coca-Cola Refresh Stations. One (1) winner each game will receive a Rays hat.
• $10 Tickets: $10 Tickets are available for every Rays regular season home game. $10 Tickets are non-transferable, and barcodes will not be available until two hours prior to first pitch with a maximum of six tickets per game, per household.

Culver’s Curds in the Third: If the Rays score a run in the third inning, fans score FREE Culver’s Wisconsin Cheese Curds. Offer is only valid the day after the game with an online purchase using the code CURDRUN.

50/50 Charity Raffle: $50,000 Guaranteed Minimum Jackpot for the Opening Day Raffle started online Sunday, March 24th. Early Bird Special: Fans receive two times the number of tickets for donations made before first pitch. For example, prior to first pitch fans can get 10 tickets for $10, 40 tickets for $20, 400 tickets for $50 and 998 tickets for $100. After first pitch, donation levels return to their standard amounts (5/$10, 20/$20, 200/$50, & 500 for $100). 50/50 tickets can be obtained at Gate 5, Gate 3, Budweiser, online via Rays5050.com or with one of our roaming ambassadors.

Ray Tank: The Ray Tank is open from when gates open to the top of the ninth inning. The tank will close at the top of each hour for 10 minutes to give the stingrays a touch break. The Rays Touch Experience is the first of its kind at a professional sports venue. The 35-foot, 10,000-gallon exhibit is located just beyond the right-center field fence at Tropicana Field. This unique and educational fan experience has been created through a partnership with THE FLORIDA AQUARIUM. The beautiful cownose stingrays are the same species that live in the waters of Tampa Bay and are cared for by the Florida Aquarium staff. A complete wellness program including a healthy diet, routine medical exams and behavioral observation is provided for the rays.

Prepaid Parking: To expedite entry into parking lots, fans are encouraged to prepay for parking. Prices vary by game date and parking lot. Lots open three hours prior to first pitch.

Rays Rookies Kids Club: The Rays Rookies Kids Club presented by Suncoast Credit Union is back for the 2024 season. For $40, MVP members receive a free kid’s meal at every game, 50 percent off tickets for select home games, free admission to THE FLORIDA AQUARIUM, a duffel bag, a snapback hat and a Rays Rookies sticker set. All-Star memberships are available for free. For more information visit, RaysBaseball.com/RaysRookies.

Mobile Ordering: Convenient mobile ordering is available for every game through the Rays team page within the MLB Ballpark app. Simply click on the “Order Food + Drinks” tile to be directed to a page with all available pickup locations and dietary specific offerings. Additional locations will be added throughout the season.

Ballpark Pass: For $49 a month or $249 for the year, fans can gain standing-room only (SRO) access to every regular-season home game. Pass holders can reserve up to three games at a time. Guest passes and seat upgrades will be available at an additional cost. Tickets are non-transferable and barcodes will not be available until four hours prior to first pitch.

MLB Ballpark App: Mobile ordering, seat upgrades, gameday experiences, digital tickets, parking passes, closed-captioning, gaming activations and more are all available within the app. Discounts at retail, the ShortStop and Grab & Go can be accessed simply by tapping the “ShortStop Pay,” “Retail Pay” and “Grab & Go Pay” icons on the Rays team page.

Mascot Race: NEW for the 2024 season, fans will be able to guess the winner of the Mascot Race exclusively via the MLB Ballpark app. On game day by selecting the “Mascot Race” tile on the Rays team page, fans will have the opportunity to guess the race winner for a chance to win prizes.

Experiences: Power Alley and Bat Around will be free to all fans for the duration of the season. It is located at Gate 6 and will be open from gates opening to the middle of the seventh inning. Fans will notice a new, interactive feature on the field level near Gate 6 at Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay Rays are the first team in MLB with Bat Around, a batting cage where fans can test their hitting skills in a mixed reality experience.

Specialty Rooms: Nursing Room is a private room for child caretaking behind home plate near the First Aid station. The Sensory Room is a safe space for anyone with sensory processing needs in Suite 45. It was designed in collaboration with the Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD).

Closed Captioning: NEW for the 2024 season, a closed-captioning feed is available for all Rays home games in the MLB Ballpark app. Fans can simply select the “Closed Captioning” icon from the Helpful Links section on the Rays team page to see a captioning feed throughout the game.

Upgrade Your Experience: Seat upgrades and gameday experiences are available for purchase for every game via the MLB Ballpark app. Fans can select the “Upgrade Your Experience” tile on the Rays team page to see available upgrades. Availability and pricing will vary by game. Experiences include The Baldwin Group Club access, Radio Booth visits, Raymond Meet & Greets and Batting Practice passes. More experiences could be added throughout the season.