Tampa Bay Rays Reopen Tropicana Field After Hurricane Milton Havoc

The wait is over … Tampa Bay Rays fans finally returned home to The Trop after Hurricane Milton nearly wiped their ballpark off the map.

A sold-out crowd of roughly 25,000 fans packed Tropicana Park Monday for the long-awaited comeback against the Chicago Cubs -- and the vibes were way bigger than a typical Opening Day.

This wasn’t just a baseball game … it was a comeback story nearly 561 days in the making.

Back in October 2024, Hurricane Milton tore through the Trop’s roof, leaving the stadium exposed for months. Rain poured in, mold spread and critical systems got wrecked -- to the point people seriously wondered if the Rays would ever return to the only home they’ve known since 1998.

Fast forward 18 months … and the place is reborn.

We’re talking a nearly $60 million glow-up -- complete with a new slanted roof, fresh turf, upgraded suites, revamped clubhouse, new lockers and a slick video board.

The Trop went from disaster zone to big-league ready again -- but getting there wasn’t pretty.

The Rays were forced to crash at Steinbrenner Field for the entire 2025 season … dealing with heat, minor-league facilities and unpredictable weather -- something they never had to worry about under the dome. The result? A rough 77-85 campaign.

Yeah … they missed home, so Monday’s return hit all the feels.

Governor Ron DeSantis was on the field for BP before country star Eric Church belted out the national anthem … while workers and staff who rebuilt the stadium were honored with a special ceremony.

Even Rays manager Kevin Cash was fired up … saying in advance of the game that the team couldn’t wait to feel the energy of a packed house again after the long road back.