The Tampa Bay Rays return home to Tropicana Field on Friday fol- lowing the relocation of the three-game series against the New York Yankees to Citi Field due to Hurricane Irma. The Rays host the Boston Red Sox (September 15-17) and the defending World Series Champion Chicago Cubs (September 19-20) in the ve-game homestand. The 2017 Rays Baseball season is presented by Tampa General Hospital.
Fans wishing to donate funds to bene t the victims of Hurricane Irma in the Tampa Bay area may do so at youcaring.com/RaysIrmaRelief.
As previously announced, fans holding tickets to the relocated Rays-Yankees games (September 11-13) may exchange them for an equivalent number of complimentary tickets to any one of the Red Sox games (September 15-17) or Baltimore Orioles games (September 29-October 1). When electing to exchange tickets to any of the games listed above, the Rays will donate the value of the exchanged Yankees series tickets to a local Hurricane Irma Relief fund in the name of the ticket purchaser. Refunds are also available upon request. For details, see visit raysbaseball.com/irma.
The weekend series with the AL East-leading Red Sox begins on Friday, September 15 at 7:10 p.m., when the Rays hold their Roberto Clemente Day celebration to honor the life and career of the Hall of Famer as part of Hispanic Heritage Month. Rays third baseman Evan Longoria will be honored in a pregame ceremony as the club's Roberto Clemente Award nominee. As a special o er for this game, fans can purchase Press Level tickets for $21 online at raysbaseball.com/Clemente.
To continue Clemente's legacy of care and compassion, the Rays will be hosting the Feeding Tampa Bay Food Drive, supported by First Class Moving, all weekend long. All fans who donate unopened cans and non-perishable food items will receive a voucher for two complimentary tickets to a 2018 Rays home game (some exclusions apply). Items of greatest need include canned, ready-to-eat items with pull-tops (e.g. vegetables, fruit); protein in pouches or pull-top cans (e.g. tuna, beef stew, chili, canned chicken); snacks (e.g. protein bars, granola bars, etc.); peanut butter; toiletries, paper goods, diapers; and cleaning supplies (e.g. mops, mop buckets, brooms, bleach wipes, bleach, garbage bags, bug spray). Donations can be dropped o to collection areas outside of Gate 1, inside Gate 1 and inside Gate 3. Rays Season Ticket Holders will also have a special collection area inside the Republic Bank Draft Room. Season Ticket Holders who donate in the Draft Room will receive Rays Rewards Points.
The Rays-Red Sox series continues on Saturday, September 16 with a 6:10 p.m. contest. Upon entry to that game, the first 15,000 fans will receive a Blake Snell Bobblehead presented by Tampa General Hospital. The series concludes on Sunday afternoon with a 1:10 p.m. start. Before Sunday's game, all kids 14 and under will receive a Rays Hooded Bath Towel presented by Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital. All promotional items are available while supplies last.
After an off-day on Monday, September 18, the homestand concludes with a two-game set against the Cubs. The Cubs will be making only their second ever trip to Tropicana Field. The Rays swept the only other series in St. Petersburg in 2008 and are 7-4 all-time against the Cubs. The series begins with a 7:10 p.m. start on Tuesday, September 19 and concludes on Wednesday, September 20, also at 7:10 p.m.
Family Fun Days, presented by Tampa General Hospital, continue on Sunday, September 17. Family Fun Days will feature free parking for cars with four or more passengers. For the fourth consecutive season, concourse activities will be complimentary for kids 14 years and under. Activities include Power Alley Batting Cage, Speed Pitch, Raymond's Art Studio, Topps Make Your Own Baseball Card and the Grand Slam Alley, courtesy of GameTime. Extra entertainers will also perform on Sundays, including face painters, airbrush tattoo artists, magicians, caricaturists, stilt walkers, jugglers and balloon artists. In addition, every Sunday home game, two Rays players will sign autographs for kids 14 years and under along the right eld stands from 12:00-12:30 p.m.
The Rays are also o ering weekday specials throughout the season including:
• Monday -- Salute to Service Monday presented by Suncoast Credit Union: Military, Teachers and First Responders have the opportunity to receive two (2) complimentary tickets to all six (6) Monday home games, ten (10) additional bonus dates and special ticket o ers throughout the season. Military, Teachers and First Responders are encouraged to visit raysbaseball.com/specials to sign up. A liation will be veri ed by ID.me, a third-party MLB approved veri ca- tion service. Tickets will be made available one week prior to each scheduled game date.
• Tuesday -- $2 Kids Tuesdays presented by Morgan Auto Group: For all Tuesday home games, tickets for kids 14 years and under are $2 with the purchase of a full-price adult ticket. $2 Hot Dogs, presented by Kayem Franks, will also be available for all fans for all Tuesday home dates. A total of 57,017 hot dogs have been sold during the rst ten Tuesdays of the season.
• Wednesday -- Ballpark App Wednesdays presented by MLB.com: For all Wednesday home games, fans may purchase half-priced Lower Corner and Upper Level tickets exclusively through the MLB.com Ballpark App. Wednesdays will also feature Ballpark Bingo presented by 7-Eleven, where Rays fans can play against each other each week for a chance to win prizes. To access special ticket o ers, Rays Ballpark Bingo and other exclusive promotions throughout the season, fans are encouraged to download the MLB.com Ballpark App from the App Store, Google Play or raysbaseball.com/ballparkapp.
• Thursday -- Senior Special Thursdays presented by Duke Energy: For all Thursday home games, Press Level tickets for fans 60 years and older are only $15.
• Friday -- $7.11 Fridays presented by 7-Eleven: For all Friday home games, fans may purchase Upper Level tickets for only $7.11. To take advantage of this special price, fans should visit a participating local 7-Eleven store and pick up the Rays Friday night discount coupon. The coupon code will be redeemable online at raysbaseball.com/specials or at the Tropicana Field Box Office. Each coupon will be good for up to four (4) tickets. $5 Budweiser and Bud Light drafts will be available to purchase for fans 21 years and older at the Budweiser Porch in Center Field. Please drink responsibly.
DOG DAY AT THE RAYS -- The series nale with the Red Sox on Sunday, September 17 is the second Dog Day at the Rays of the 2017 season. Dog Day tickets can be purchased at raysbaseball.com/dogday. In conjunction with Dog Day, the Rays Wives will host their fth annual pet food drive bene tting Pet Pal Animal Shelter. Pet food donations will be collected at gate 1 and gate 6 from 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Fans who donate pet food will receive a voucher for two (2) complimentary tickets to a 2018 Rays home game (some exclusions apply). From September 11-17, the Rays Wives are also hosting a charity auction, featuring autographed items from some of the most popular players in professional sports. All proceeds from this auction bene t Pet Pal Animal Shelter. Fans may bid online at raysbaseball.com/auction from September 11-17, or on the tbt* Party Deck during Dog Day.
"SHIRTS OFF OUR BACKS" FUNDRAISER -- The beginning of the Cubs series on September 19 marks the start of the annual "Shirts O Our Backs" fundraiser, hosted by the Rays Baseball Foundation. Fans can donate to the Rays Baseball Foundation in exchange for scratch-off cards with the chance to win game-worn jerseys from the nal game of the season on October 1, tickets to a 2018 Rays home game or other prizes.
GATES OPEN -- Monday-Thursday, 1 1⁄2 hours prior to rst pitch; Friday-Sunday, 2 hours prior to first pitch.