Explore George M. Steinbrenner Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays
Welcome to George M. Steinbrenner Field, where the history runs deep and the tradition is rich. Long home to Yankees Spring Training and the Minor League Tarpons, the centrally located ballpark in Tampa will temporarily host the Tampa Bay Rays for the 2025 season while New York’s affiliate plays on an adjacent field.
Tampa Bay Rays
Established: 1998
Division Name: American League East
Ballpark: George M. Steinbrenner Field (opened 1996)
Tampa has a rich history of professional baseball, as it was the first site of Spring Training in Florida, hosting the Chicago Cubs at Plant Field near downtown in 1913. The charter member of the Florida State League, the Tampa Smokers were established in 1919. In 1954, Al López Field was built in West Tampa, and the newer facility drew the White Sox to move their Spring Training facility from California to Florida. The Reds replaced the South Siders in Tampa in 1960, and Al López Field played host to several members of the Big Red Machine teams from the 1970s.
In 1989, Al López Field was demolished, and the original Tarpons franchise moved to Sarasota, Fla., leaving Tampa without a team until 1994, when the Yankees established the Class A Advanced Tampa Yankees, who played their first two seasons at Red McEwen Field at the University of South Florida.
In December 2017 -- after 24 seasons as the Yankees -- Tampa's FSL squad changed its name to the Tarpons in an attempt to celebrate the city's long baseball history. From 1957-87, Tampa fielded an FSL team named the Tarpons. Tarpons are a favorite of Florida fishermen due to their large size -- upward of eight feet long -- but usually are released back into the water, as they are difficult to clean and cook. The Tarpons logo was inspired in part by a 1970s-era Tampa Tarpons logo. The fish is depicted in an upright position, resting a baseball bat on its right shoulder in front of a pinstriped background that recalls the Yankees' iconic look.
As part of 2021's larger reorganization of Minor League Baseball, the Tarpons -- along with the rest of the Florida State League -- moved from Class A Advanced to Single A.
In late 2024, after Hurricane Milton unleashed significant damage upon Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, the Rays’ home ballpark since their inaugural season as the Devil Rays in 1998, the Yankees agreed to let their AL East rival spend the ’25 season at Steinbrenner Field. It became the smallest ballpark in the Majors, by capacity, and the Rays performed a rapid makeover to make it their home for the season.
The ballpark had recently undergone substantial renovations, with an entirely new home clubhouse setup that ranked among the Minors’ best, and the Rays helped fund further improvements to the visitors clubhouse and a 1,000-seat side field -- known as Community Field -- that will become the Tarpons’ temporary home for 2025.
George M. Steinbrenner Field
Ballpark location (via Google Maps)
Rays schedule
Rays roster
1 Steinbrenner Drive
Tampa, Fla., 33614
Capacity: 11,026
Dimensions: Left field, 318 feet; center field, 408 feet; right field, 314 feet
Minor League Park factors
100 = league average
Runs: 99 | Homers: 102 | Hits: 101
George M. Steinbrenner Field is located in Tampa, just across N. Dale Mabry Highway from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Raymond James Stadium. The ballpark includes 11,026 seats and 13 luxury suites. The seated sections are broken up into Reserved Seating, Field Box, Left Field Deck and Right Field Deck sections. In 2017, the park underwent a $40 million renovation, which included an accessible main entrance, 5,000 square feet of retail space, replica monuments in front of the stadium, a 9/11 Memorial, an enlarged NY logo on the right-field concourse, as well as large retired numbers "2" and "42" to honor first-ballot Yankees Hall of Famers Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera. Further renovations were completed before Spring Training in 2024 and ’25. The ballpark is a full 360-degree walk-around stadium.
Mascot
The Rays are well-equipped with fan-friendly mascots. Their primary mascot is Raymond, a “fun-loving fuzz ball” officially classified as a Seadog. Then, there’s DJ Kitty, the designated disc jockey with all kinds of merch. Finally, there’s Stinger, a cow-nosed stingray and flappy boy who joined Raymond’s crew in 2013.
Local attractions
Now is as good a time as ever to visit Tampa, as the Tampa Bay area is experiencing a boom. Being on Florida’s Gulf Coast provides numerous options for beaches all within 30 minutes of Tampa and in the greater Tampa Bay area. If you were planning to kill two birds with one stone, Clearwater Beach was once named the "Best Beach Town" by USA Today.
Back in Tampa, downtown features one of the nation’s finest riverwalks, which has only gotten better in recent years. The Riverwalk, a 2.6-mile pedestrian and bike path that stretches from Armature Works to Sparkman Wharf, includes restaurants, parks, museums, attractions and retail businesses. According to a 2023 USA Today poll, the Tampa Riverwalk was named the second best of America's Top 10 Riverwalks. The area includes Armature Works, Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park, Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park, Straz Center For Performing Arts, Florida Aquarium, Glazer Children's Museum and Sparkman Wharf.
Another big attraction in the area remains Busch Gardens, which is about a 15-minute drive from Steinbrenner Field. There is plenty more to do in Tampa, from the history and nightlife of Ybor City to the shopping and strolls along Bayshore Boulevard in South Tampa.
Food and drink
Ballpark food can only get you so far, so luckily there are some pretty delectable dining options around Steinbrenner Field. Let's start with a staple for any trip to the Tampa area: Bern's Steakhouse. You'd be hard-pressed to make it through a game without hearing "See you at Bern's" at some point!
There are no shortage of places that offer Cuban sandwiches, but the West Tampa Sandwich Shop and the Arco Iris Cafe are local favorites. And if you're craving something sweet or savory, Alessi Bakery is the place to go -- satisfying customers since 1912.
The downtown/Riverwalk areas are also abundant with everything from fine dining to quick bites. Ulele restaurant offers native Floridian fare, with barbacoa grilling and house-brewed beers. Looking for a quick bite and a biergarten on the waterfront? Check out Sparkman Wharf’s Lighthaus Beer Garden and dining garden.
Armature Works is a trendy option for anyone in search of unique experiences, innovative eateries and some nightlife. It can best be described as "a food court for adults.” And if you make your way over to Harbour Island, Jackson's Bistro is a can't-miss experience.