The Rays began the initial process of assessing damage to Tropicana Field from Hurricane Milton on Thursday morning, specifically the shredding of the roof.

“In recent weeks, our beloved city, region and state have been impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. We are devastated by the damage suffered by so many,” the team said in a statement. “Our priority is to support our community and our workforce. We are fortunate and grateful that no one was injured due to the damage to our ballpark last night. …

“We ask for your patience at this time and we encourage those who can to donate to organizations in our community that are helping those directly affected by these storms.”

The first step will be for an operational team to investigate the stadium and work in coordination with the Saint Petersburg Police to secure the building.

Most visible was the shredding of the roof, caused by the strong winds Wednesday night. Only a few panels of the roof — made of “6 hectares of translucent, Teflon-coated fiberglass” and supported by cables connected by struts, and built to withstand winds of up to 115 mph, according to the team — remained intact Thursday, with remnants seen on the field.

From the outside, there was no other apparent structural damage to the building.

Another problem is water damage, as Tropicana Field, which was built in the late 1980s and opened in 1990, has no drainage system.

That is also a factor in the repair plan, as the team would not be able to play in the stadium without replacing the roof.

An obvious priority after the team assessments will be to determine if the stadium can be made playable for the 2025 season, which starts March 27 with a six-game homestand against the Rockies and Pirates.

If not, the Rays can find temporary housing, perhaps at a nearby minor league or college facility; for example, the Blue Jays played regular season games at their Dunedin spring stadium during the post-COVID 2021 season. Another option would be to temporarily relocate from the Tampa Bay area. These decisions will be made in consultation with Major League Baseball officials.

A new Rays stadium is planned to be built next to the Tropicana Field site, ready for the 2028 season, with groundbreaking scheduled for the coming months.

There was only a small group of people, fewer than twenty, in the stadium at the time of the damage: some team security personnel and some security guards from a private contractor. Most took shelter in one of the team’s clubhouses, and everyone was safe with no injuries reported.

State contractor crews and Duke Energy personnel were stationed at Tropicana Field ahead of the storm to assist with debris removal. They were moved on Tuesday before the storm hit. The stadium did not function as a shelter, as was reported nationally, following a photo circulating on social media of thousands of camp beds on the field.

“When it became clear that there was going to be something of that size that was going to be within range, they redeployed them from Tropicana,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference in Tallahassee. “There was no government property in Tropicana Field, I think Duke removed all their property as well.”

Some Rays players took to social media to express their feelings about the damage. Infielder/outfielder Richie Palacios reposted a video to X from the Roof while he was shredding with the comment “I’m crying” and a tears emoji. Pitcher Shane McClanahan also posted a drone photo of the damaged stadium with a crying emoji. Taylor Walls’ wife Hallie posted a video with a broken heart emoji.

Major League Baseball said in a statement: “Our hearts and prayers, as do the entire Tampa Bay community and all the families affected by this storm throughout Florida.”

As a Disaster Responder Partner of the American Red Cross, MLB provides ongoing support for recovery and relief efforts. The Baseball Assistance Team will also provide support to team employees and other members of the baseball family affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Rays officials had an initial report Thursday morning on the status of their Port Charlotte training facility, which was heavily damaged by Hurricane Ian in 2022, forcing the Rays to split 2023 spring camp between the Disney sports facility and Tropicana Field.

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