ONE of the hottest teams in Major League Baseball can be banned from hosting playoff games due to rules.
The MLB franchise has been playing at a new stadium this season.
GettyThe Tampa Bay Rays have gotten off to an impressive start in the 2025 season[/caption] GettyHowever, the Rays could see themselves not hosting playoff games due to their current ballpark, George M. Steinbrenner Field[/caption]The Tampa Bay Rays were predicted to be a .500 team or worse in 2025, but have stunningly gotten off to a hot start.
They hold the No. 2 Wild Card spot with a 47-39 record and are just 1.5 games in back of the division-leading New York Yankees.
The Rays have had to play at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa while Tropicana Field is being renovated after hurricane damage last fall.
The Athletic reported that the Rays and league officials have started to discuss where the team would play home games if the team made the playoffs.
The conversations are over the issues that Steinbrenner Field brings, as the 10,046-seat capacity venue isn’t big enough for a playoff game.
The stadium is the Spring Training home of the Yankees.
The limited capacity creates challenges for the MLB to make thousands of tickets available to the public and for broadcast partners to provide their usual postseason TV production.
There’s also an issue for the players and their compensation during the playoffs.
Their money comes from gate receipts of guaranteed postseason games and would result in the players earning less playoff shares.
The Rays could end up being moved temporarily to a larger venue if the team reaches the Division Series.
If the season ended today, they’d be the road team during a potential three-game Wild Card round.
While a move to a neutral site makes sense for both the Rays and the league, there will be a loss of home-field advantage that the team could’ve received.
Steinbrenner Field could still be doable for the Wild Card round and Division Series, should the Rays either control the No. 1 spot in the WC or win the AL East division.
The franchise has a 28-14 record since May 8.
While the Rays have exceeded expectations in a little more than half a season, the franchise’s winning ways aren’t certain to continue.
APThe Rays have had to play at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa while Tropicana Field is being renovated after substantial hurricane damage last year[/caption]The MLB front-loaded their home schedule to have fewer games in the summer heat and rain in Florida.
That means 52 of their final 81 games are on the road.
Nonetheless, the Rays currently have a 71.2 percent chance of making the playoffs, giving the league plenty of decisions to potentially make in the not-so-distant future.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Red-hot MLB team could be banned from hosting playoff games and moved to new stadium over strict rules )
Also on site :