Rays rumors: Will team leave Tampa Bay?

Orlando, Florida is one of the cities that has reportedly expressed interest in obtaining the Rays.

“I just don’t see that being a realistic thing,” Rosenthal added.

The Rays are getting sold to a new group of owners. Stu Sternberg agreed to sell the team in July, for $1.7 billion. The sale came months after Sternberg said he couldn’t agree to a deal with the Tampa area to build a new ball park.

“After careful deliberation, we have concluded we cannot move forward with the new ballpark and development project at this moment,” Sternberg said in a statement in March, per ESPN. “A series of events beginning in October that no one could have anticipated led to this difficult decision.”

The Rays previously played at Tropicana Field. That stadium was damaged in 2024 by Hurricane Milton.

Rays are closing out a disappointing season

Tampa Bay is fourth this season in the American League East Division. Heading into Tuesday, the Rays have a 71-72 record.

It has been a difficult campaign to say the least. Not only are the Rays struggling to finish above .500, but the team is also playing at George M. Steinbrenner Field. That’s a minor league park that only sits a little more than 10,000 people.

Tampa Bay has done the best they could despite having to move to a new home. This season, the club has been in the hunt in the Wild Card standings for a postseason berth. Things have cooled though in recent weeks. Rays players are refusing to quit, despite the disappointing record.

“We just have to come play hard and take everybody’s head off,” third baseman Junior Caminero said recently through an interpreter, per MLB.com.

Tampa Bay plays the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night.