The Tampa Bay Rays return to Tropicana Field tomorrow for a seven-game homestand against the Chicago White Sox (June 6-8) and Oakland Athletics (June 9-11). The 2017 Rays Baseball season is presented by Tampa General Hospital.
The homestand begins with the Rays hosting the White Sox for a three-game series starting on Tuesday, June 6, with the first of three consecutive 7:10 p.m. starts.
The weekend series with the Athletics begins on Friday, June 9 with a 7:10 p.m. start time. Friday Night's game is Pride Night at the ballpark for all members of the LGBTQ community. There will be a pregame moment of silence to honor the 49 victims of last year's Pulse nightclub shooting. Additionally, St. Pete Pride will lead the 7th inning stretch. Through the purchase of a special ticket package, fans can receive a ticket in the Lower Level and a Rays Pride Tumbler for just $30. To purchase the Pride Night ticket special or for more information on Pride Night, visit raysbaseball.com/specialevents.
Saturday will feature Major League Baseball's first scheduled doubleheader since July 16, 2011. Game 1 of the single-admission doubleheader will start at 2:10 p.m., while Game 2 will begin roughly 45 minutes after the end of Game 1. It is the second doubleheader in Tropicana Field history, with the Rays having completed one against the Detroit Tigers in 2004 after Hurricane Frances forced the postponement of two games four weeks earlier. Upon entry to Game 1, the first 15,000 fans will receive a Matt Duffy Double Play Bobblehead presented by Spectrum. During the first game of the doubleheader, the Rays will turn back the clock to the 1970s as they will wear a light blue retro-style uniform from the 1970s that celebrates the style of the era while keeping the Rays modern colors. This will be the sixth straight year that the Rays will wear Turn Back the Clock uniforms, but only the second year the club has worn the light blue uniform with yellow sleeves, as they last wore them on August 10, 2014 in an interleague game in Chicago against the Cubs. Overall, the Rays hold a 3-2 record during throwback games.
Beginning approximately 10 minutes after the conclusion of Game 1, there will be a Banner Parade throughout the concourse, starting from Lower Gate 6. Fans are encouraged to bring a banner from home or make a banner at one of the stations throughout the ballpark. Fans who have a banner and participate in the parade will receive a ticket voucher for two (2) complimentary tickets to a future 2017 Rays game. In addition, there will be specialty food and drink items for purchase throughout the ballpark, including Hamburger Helper in a cone, chicken strips and fries and turkey meals served as "TV dinners," fried Twinkies rolled in monster cereals, fried Kool-Aid and a Buzz Aldrin drink special.
The homestand concludes on Sunday, June 11, when the Rays face off against the Athletics at 1:10 p.m. All kids 14 and under will receive a Bat and Ball Set presented by MLB Play Ball. All Rays promotional items are available while supplies last.
Family Fun Days, presented by Tampa General Hospital, continue on Sunday, June 11. Family Fun Days will feature free parking for cars with four or more passengers and a variety of postgame activities for kids, including Kids Run the Bases and a DJ Kitty Dance Party featuring mascots and entertainers. 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 field stands from 12:00-12:30 p.m.
The Rays are also offering new 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 offers throughout the season. Military, Teachers and First Responders are encouraged to visit raysbaseball.com/specials to sign up. Affiliation will be verified by ID.me, a third-party MLB approved verification 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 22,388 hot dogs have been sold during the first four 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 offers, 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.
COMING UP AT THE REPUBLIC BANK DRAFT ROOM -- Prior to Game 1 of the doubleheader on Saturday, June 10, former lefthanded pitcher Bill "Spaceman" Lee will participate in a meet-and-greet from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the Republic Bank Draft Room.
BASEBALL TOMORROW FUND TO HOST EQUIPMENT DRIVE -- In support of the ongoing commitment from Major League Baseball, its clubs and the players to increase opportunities for youth participation in baseball and softball, the Rays are teaming up with the Baseball Tomorrow Fund (BTF) to host an equipment collection drive during the Rays-Athletics game at Tropicana Field on Sunday, June 11. Fans are invited to donate new and used equipment, which will benefit the Willie Horton 360 organization. The equipment drive will be held at Gate 1 and Gate 3 beginning at 11:10 a.m. on Sunday and continue until the bottom of the 2nd inning. Fans who donate will receive a ticket voucher for two (2) complimentary tickets to a future 2017 Rays game. Additionally, the Baseball Tomorrow Fund will award a grant to the 360 Willie Horton RBI organization for the purchase of new equipment. Rays Play Ball spokesperson and BTF player ambassador Kevin Kiermaier will present a ceremonial check to 360 Willie Horton RBI during a pregame ceremony on Sunday. This is the eleventh season that the Baseball Tomorrow Fund has teamed with Major League Baseball to support equipment collection programs. To date, more than $1.4 million in grants have benefited organizations in need.
GATES OPEN -- Monday-Thursday, 1½ hours prior to first pitch; Friday-Sunday, 2 hours prior to first pitch.
Key Dates / Time / Promotion / Sponsor / Distribution
Tuesday, June 6 vs. CWS / 7:10 p.m. / $2 Kids Ticket Tuesdays, $2 Hot Dogs / Morgan Auto Group, Kayem Franks / Kids 14 years and under, All fans
Wednesday, June 7 vs. CWS / 7:10 p.m. / Ballpark App Wednesdays / MLB.com / All fans
Thursday, June 8 vs. CWS / 7:10 p.m. / Senior Special Thursdays / Duke Energy / Fans 60 years and older
Friday, June 9 vs. OAK / 7:10 p.m. / $7.11 Fridays, $5 Draft Beers at Budweiser Porch / 7-Eleven, Budweiser / All fans, Fans 21 years and older
Saturday, June 10 vs. OAK (1) / 2:10 p.m. / Single-Admission Doubleheader, Matt Duffy Double Play Bobblehead / Spectrum / All fans, First 15,000 fans*
Saturday, June 10 vs. OAK (2) / ~45 min after Game 1 ends / Single-Admission Doubleheader / All fans
Sunday, June 11 vs. OAK / 1:10 p.m. / Bat and Ball Set, Family Fun Days / MLB Play Ball, Tampa General Hospital / Kids 14 years and under*, All fans
*All Rays promotional items are available while supplies last