Rays return to Tropicana Field for a two-team, seven-game homestand

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.— The Tampa Bay Rays return to Tropicana Field tomorrow, following a six-game road trip against the Colorado Rockies (April 5-7) and Los Angeles Angels (April 8-10). The Rays will close out their season series against the Angels this week, and look to secure an eighth consecutive season series victory (the teams did not meet in 2020). The two-team, seven-game homestand begins with the San Francisco Giants (April 12-14) and concludes with the Angels (April 15-18). The Rays 2024 season is presented by Orlando Health.

Friday, April 12 vs. San Francisco Giants

• First Pitch: 6:50 p.m.
• Gates Open: 5:20 p.m.
• Color Guard: Presented by Bloomingdale Air Force JROTC
• National Anthem: Performed by Joseph Catholic School Choir with ASL by Terri Pendleton
• Rays First Pitch: Thrown by Robert Elliot
• Ceremonial First Pitch: Thrown by Julianne Holt, Retiring Hillsborough County Public Defender, 13th Judicial Circuit
• Promotion: The Pickleball special ticket package includes a Rays-themed pickleball paddle and a seat in the Lower Box. Fans can pick up their Rays pickleball paddle from the redemption center pregame through the sixth inning. Fans can also participate in a pickleball expo outside of Tropicana Field at the Gate 4 plaza.
• Randy Land: For every Friday home game, fans can purchase tickets for Randy Land in sections 141 or 143. 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.
• Concessions and Merchandise Specials: 90s themed snacks and beverages are available at the Viva Seltzer Grab N’ Go (behind Center Field) and at the Bird & Batter Express location (in right field), at all Friday Devil Rays Days.

Saturday, April 13 vs. San Francisco Giants

• First Pitch: 4:10 p.m.
• Gates Open: 2:10 p.m.
• Rays First Pitch: Thrown by Barry Brown, Principal of Gibbs High School
• Color Guard: Presented by Clearwater High School Marine Corps JROTC
• National Anthem: Performed by Floyd Howze, a teacher at Pinellas County Schools. With ASL by Nicole Washington.
• Greek Hertiage Ticket Package: Celebrate Greek Heritage with a special ticket package that includes a limited edition hat and a seat in the 200 Level. During Saturday’s game, the seventh inning stretch will also be captioned in Greek to celebrate the night.
• Greek Heritage Pregame Special: Prior to Saturday’s game, $5 Mythos Beer and Free Baklava, provided by Little Greek will be available at Ballpark and Rec., while supplies last.
• Autism Awareness Ticket Package: Fans can purchase a special Autism Awareness ticket package that includes a limited-edition bracelet and a seat in the 200 Level.
• In-Game Presentation: The Rays will host winners of the inaugural Rays Baseball Foundation and Rowdies Soccer Fund Spelling Bee. The Spelling Bee was hosted at Tropicana Field on Saturday, February 10. Two winners in attendance will be fifth grader Amara Chepuri (winning word deglaciation) and eighth grader Jordin Oremosu (winning word cornucopia).
• Clearwater Little League Takeover: the Rays will host a takeover of the Clearwater Little League on Saturday, April 13. The event is from 9a.m.-12 p.m. at the Sid Lickton Complex, located at 714 N. Saturn Ave. in Clearwater. To make the experience feel like a major league game, Neil Solondz, Rays Radio play-by-play broadcaster, will announce and call both T-ball games at the complex. Additionally, Raymond and the Rays Street Team will also be present. Clearwater Little League tee ball teams participate in the Rays Jersey Program, which outfits approximately 10,000 T-ball players and coaches in Rays jerseys and hats each year.
• American Heart Association and Burg Baseball: The Rays will host an event at the Burg Baseball field from 10-11 a.m. to distribute CPR & First Aid in Youth Sports Training Kits. Coaches will also learn about Hands-Only CPR and receive an automated external defibrillator (AED). The Rays, in partnership with the American Heart Association, will also provide CPR kits to Azalea Youth Soccer and Police Athletic League (PAL) Baseball at Wildwood.

Sunday, April 14 vs. San Francisco Giants

• First Pitch: 1:40 p.m.
• Gates Open: 11:40 a.m.
• Color Guard: Presented by Lake Mary High School
• National Anthem: Performed by Katie Lombardo with ASL by Tess Crowder
• Hall of Fame Pregame Presentation: For 18 seasons, the booming, distinct voice of Dave Wills was synonymous with Rays Baseball. Wills passed away March 5, 2023, but his enduring legacy and influential mark on the Rays organization will never be lost. Wills will be inducted into the Rays Hall of Fame prior to the start of Sunday’s series finale against the San Francisco Giants.
• Promotion: Dave Wills Tropical Shirt presented by Crown Automotive Group. Available to the first 12,000 fans.
• Dog Day: The Dog Day at the Rays special ticket package includes a Dog Day-themed gift and a seat in the Party Deck. The Dog Day at the Rays special ticket package is sold-out. The next Dog Day is on Sunday, June 30th. Tickets are on sale now at raysbaseball.com/dogday.
• Pregame Presentation: Kids Take the Field presented by RIPA & Associates. Youth Baseball & Softball Day pregame parade of all youth Baseball and Softball Leagues in attendance for Sunday’s game.
• Ticket Specials: Salute to Service - 30 percent off Lower Box, 200 Level and Lower Reserved for Military, First Responders and Teachers.

Monday, April 15 vs. Los Angeles Angels

• First Pitch: 6:50 p.m.
• Gates Open: 5:20 p.m.
• Color Guard: Presented by US Army Recruiting Company St. Petersburg
• National Anthem: “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and “The Star-Spangled Banner” will be performed by Alex Harris, CEO and co-founder of Arts Conservatory for Teens. With ASL by Kama Clippard.
• Ceremonial First Pitch: Thrown by National Football League wide receiver and Lakewood High School graduate Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
• Pregame Presentation: Kids Take the Field presented by In partnership with Nike, nine players from the Police Athletic League (PAL) of St. Petersburg will be recognized for exemplifying the nine core values of Jackie Robinson and will join Rays players on the field for the National Anthem. Robinson’s Nine Pillars included: Courage, Determination, Teamwork, Persistence, Integrity, Citizenship, Justice, Commitment and Excellence.
• Jackie Robinson Day: The Rays will commemorate the 77th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking baseball’s color barrier in 1947. The Rays will also recognize their 2024 Racial Equity Grant recipients with an in-game check presentation to AMIkids, The Helen Gordon Davis Centre for Women, James B. Sanderlin Neighborhood Family Center, Sing Out and Read and Where Love Grows Inc. The Rays Baseball Foundation and Rowdies Soccer fund created the Racial Equity Grant Fund to build power within communities that have been historically overlooked and purposefully disadvantaged due to systemic racism. In addition, the Rays will host students from The Write Field Program, a writing and mentoring program for African American and Hispanic young men from middle and high schools in Pinellas County. The students will have the opportunity to interview local community leaders including Marquez Valdes-Scantling (NFL Wide Receiver), Larry Murphy (Gibbs High School basketball coach), Esther Matthews (President, NAACP of St. Petersburg), Bubba Swinton (Wildwood Dodgers Youth Leader), Bemetra Simmons (President & CEO, Tampa Bay Partnership), Nikki Gaskin-Capehart (CEO of Pinellas County Urban League) and Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch
• 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 enjoy the game in a suite.

Tuesday, April 16 vs. Los Angeles Angels

• First Pitch: 6:50 p.m.
• Gates Open: 5:20 p.m.
• Color Guard: Presented by Gaither High School Navy JROTC
• National Anthem: Performed by Autumn Kennedy with ASL by Hailey Riggs
• 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 eight-year-old Pierce Kight from the Make-A-Wish Foundation. As part of Pierce’s special day as a Tuesday’s Champion, he will meet Rays players and throw out a ceremonial first pitch. Pierce was diagnosed with leukemia. He loves baseball and his dream is to become a chocolatier or be in the Air Force.

Wednesday, April 17 vs. Los Angeles Angels

• First Pitch: 6:50 p.m.
• Gates Open: 5:20 p.m.
• Color Guard: Presented by Belleview High School Air Force JROTC
• National Anthem: Performed by Stephanie Stone with ASL by Addison Barron
• Rays First Pitch: Thrown by Vicki Sokolik, Starting Right, Now
• In-Game Presentation: The Rays Baseball Foundation will present Starting Right, Now with a $40,000 grant.
• Ticket Specials: Salute to Service - Two complimentary tickets for Military, First Responders and Teachers

Thursday, April 18 vs. Los Angeles Angels

• First Pitch: 1:10 p.m.
• Gates Open: 11:40 a.m.
• Color Guard: Presented by East Bay High School JROTC
• National Anthem: Performed by Karinna Lanee’ with ASL by Thia Sandefur

Additional Homestand Notes

• 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 fans will receive BOGO Budweiser and Bud Light at the Budweiser Porch the following Rays game before first pitch.
• Budweiser Good Sport Designated Driver Program: Pledge to be a designated driver by abstaining from alcohol in the Ballpark app. Show your confirmation email to a representative at Guest Services Gate 1 or 3. Each fan who pledges will receive a small cup good for a soda or water at Coca-Cola Refresh Stations. One winner each game will receive a Rays hat.
• $10 Tickets: Available for every Rays regular season home game. $10 Tickets are non-transferable, and barcodes will be available two hours prior to first pitch. A maximum of six tickets per game, per household are available.
• 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.
• Mobile Ordering: Convenient mobile ordering is available for every game through the Rays team page within the Ballpark app. Click on the “Order Food + Drinks” tile to be directed to a page with all available pickup locations and dietary specific offerings.
• 50/50 Charity Raffle: Support our community from Tropicana Field or at home while watching the game. As an 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
• The Rays Touch Experience: 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 rays 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. See com/parking. 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, com/RaysRookies.
• 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 be available 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 can guess the winner of the Mascot Race exclusively via the Ballpark app by selecting the “Mascot Race” tile on the Rays team page.
• 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. The 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 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 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, Rays Radio Booth visits, Raymond Meet & Greets and Batting Practice passes. More experiences could be added throughout the season.