Sports
Rays to play 2025 home games at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa after hurricane damage to Trop
The Tampa Bay Rays, for the first time in their history, will actually play their home games in Tampa. The team’s home slate will take place at George M. Steinbrenner Field, the spring training home of the New York Yankees.
Tropicana Field, the Rays’ home facility, was “significantly damaged” during Hurricane Milton on Oct. 10, with the roof being ripped off. The Rays selected Steinbrenner Field because it was the “best-prepared facility in the Tampa Bay region,” according to a news release.
“We deeply appreciate that the Yankees have graciously allowed us to play at Steinbrenner Field for the 2025 season,’’ Rays owner Stu Sternberg said in the statement. “The hurricane damage to Tropicana Field has forced us to take some extraordinary steps.”
“We are happy to extend our hand to the Rays and their fans by providing a major-league quality facility for them to utilize this season,’’ Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner said in a statement. “… We understand how meaningful it is for Rays players, employees and fans to have their 2025 home games take place within 30 minutes of Tropicana Field.”
There has been no determination yet as to how the change will impact the Tampa Tarpons, the Yankees’ Single-A affiliate and Steinbrenner Field’s normal regular-season occupant.
The Rays also talked extensively to the Philadelphia Phillies about using the Phillies’ spring training complex in nearby Clearwater, which offered advantages because it’s also located in Pinellas County. However, the Rays opted for Tampa for several reasons. One is that Steinbrenner Field seats upward of 2,000 more fans, which could translate into significantly more revenue over 81 games.
Another is that the Yankees’ facility was viewed by the club as having facilities – particularly in and around the clubhouse – that are more suitable to housing a major league team over six months, as opposed to six weeks.
A third is that ultimately, the Rays preferred the central location offered by a stadium in Tampa, as opposed to Clearwater, which is a longer drive for much of their fan base.
The aftermath of Hurricane Milton at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. (Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
A damage assessment report released earlier this week estimated that Tropicana Field would not be ready before 2026, and would cost around $55.7 million in repairs. It is possible much of the damage could have been avoided if the team had replaced its roof in the years prior.
With the team hoping to move into a new St. Petersburg venue in 2028, it is unclear what the long-term plan for the Rays will be beyond 2025. Steinbrenner Field has a capacity of 11,000 and notably does not have a roof given the rainy weather typical for the region throughout the summer. It has, however, recently undergone renovations to expand clubhouse space, improve the lighting and upgrade the facilities writ large.
The Rays will be the second MLB team playing in a minor-league stadium in 2025, with the Athletics planning to spend the next three seasons at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, Calif., ahead of their move to Las Vegas in 2028.
The Rays and league prioritized playing the team’s home games in the region, rather than moving to a larger or domed facility. It’s also not the first time regular-season games will be played at a Tampa-area spring training site. The Toronto Blue Jays opened the 2021 season with home games at their spring training site in Dunedin.
“Given the significant challenges caused by Hurricane Milton, I appreciate the hard work and collaboration between the two teams,” commissioner Rob Manfred said in the release. “This outcome meets Major League Baseball’s goals that Rays’ fans will see their team play next season in their home market and that their players can remain home without disruption to their families.”
Additional reporting by Chris Kirschner.
(Top photo of Steinbrenner Field in 2017: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
Sports
LIV Golf stars commit to staying put after Brooks Koepka’s departure, return to PGA Tour
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Brooks Koepka may have returned to the PGA Tour following a stint at LIV Golf, but do not expect the Saudi-backed league’s other biggest stars to join in.
Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith all committed to staying put when speaking to reporters on Tuesday at a preseason press conference.
“I had no idea, no idea that that would happen.” DeChambeau said. “No idea what the penalties would even be. Right now, I’ve got a contract. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do at LIV Golf this year.”
Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm walk to the eighth green during the first round of the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club on June 2, 2022. (Adam Cairns/The Columbus Dispatch)
“I made a decision to come out here and spend more time at home, and I’m not giving that away. I’ll be on LIV for years to come,” added Smith, who won the 2022 Open Championship shortly before officially committing to LIV.
DeChambeau and Smith each left in 2022, but Rahm was perhaps the biggest surprise. Once very outspoken against LIV, he joined the league in December 2023.
In August 2024, he shut down rumors of buyer’s remorse to Fox News Digital, and that still appears to be the case.
“I’m not planning on going anywhere. Very similar answer to what Bryson gave. I wish Brooks the best. As far as I’m concerned, I’m focused on the league and my team this year, and hopefully we can repeat as champions again,” Rahm said.
Koepka’s decision came weeks after he revealed he would be leaving the rival series.
“I want to thank my family and my team for their continued support throughout every step of my professional career,” he wrote on social media. “When I was a child, I always dreamed about competing on the @PGATOUR, and I am just as excited today to announce that I am returning to the PGA TOUR. Being closer to home and spending more time with my family makes this opportunity especially meaningful to me.
Brooks Koepka, of the United States, acknowledges the crowd on the 5th green during the first round of the British Open golf championship at the Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland, July 17, 2025. (Peter Morrison, File/AP Photo)
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“I believe in where the PGA TOUR is headed with new leadership, new investors, and an equity program that gives players a meaningful ownership stake,” he continued. “I also understand there are financial penalties associated with this decision, and I accept those.”
Koepka said he planned to be at the Farmers Insurance Open and the Waste Management Phoenix Open in the coming weeks.
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp said Koepka’s return sparked the Returning Member Program for those who left the company and may decide to follow in Koepka’s footsteps.
Rolapp said Koepka agreed to a few conditions upon his return to the PGA Tour. It included a “five-year forfeiture of potential equity in the PGA Tour’s Player Equity Program, representing one of the largest financial repercussions in professional sports history, with estimations that he could miss out on approximately $50–85 million in potential earnings, depending on his competitive performance and the growth of the Tour,” according to Rolapp. Koepka will also make a $5 million charitable donation to an organization yet to be determined.
Brooks Koepka during the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Quail Hollow. (Aaron Doster/Imagn Images)
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Koepka became the first person to return to the PGA Tour after defecting for LIV.
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
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Sports
Luka Doncic plays and scores 27 points as the Lakers rout the Hawks
Luka Doncic and LeBron James were listed as questionable for the Lakers’ back-to-back game Tuesday night against the Atlanta Hawks. Doncic because of left groin soreness, James because of left foot joint arthritis and right sciatica.
Also, checking the stat sheet before the game, the Lakers were listed as one of the worst three-point shooting teams and one of the worst defensive shooting percentage teams in the league.
Well, Luka played and LeBron played and the Lakers shot lights-out from three-point range and were solid across the board on defense while i rolling over the Hawks 141-116 at Crypto.com Arena.
Doncic felt soreness in his groin when the Lakers played at Sacramento on Monday night and was unsure about playing Tuesday. But he played and delivered 27 points, 12 assists and five rebounds.
James didn’t play in the second game of a back-to-back game last week at New Orleans and San Antonio and said he will be listed as TBD, to be determined, in such scenarios. But James played against the Hawks and nearly produced a triple-double with 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.
Coming into the game, opponents were shooting 48.8% from the field and 37.4% from three against the Lakers, ranking them 28th and 26th, respectively, in the NBA.
The Hawks began the game ranked fourth in three-point shooting, making 37.4%, and they were ranked eighth in field-goal percentage, making 43.6%.
All of the above made for a bad recipe for the Lakers entering the game.
But when the game started, none of that mattered to the Lakers, who held the Hawks to 45% shooting and 28.3% from three-point range.
The Lakers shot 55.9% (19 for 34) from three-point range.
The Lakers’ big lead was sliced to 11 points in the fourth.
But back-to-back three-pointers by James and Marcus Smart, both off passes from Doncic, and a Doncic basket gave them a 19-point lead, and they never looked back.
The Lakers scored 81 points in the first half, a season-high for points in a half, a half in which they opened a 23-point lead and had the Hawks reeling from the beginning.
Doncic missed just one of his six three-pointers in the first half. Gabe Vincent came off the bench and missed just one of his four three-pointers in the first half.
Rui Hachimura had missed the previous seven games with a right calf strain but was back in action against the Hawks. He had seven points and two rebounds in 18 minutes.
ETC: The Lakers signed guard Kobe Bufkin to a 10-day contract Tuesday. The 6-foot-5 Bufkin played in seven games for the South Bay Lakers, the Lakers’ G League team, where he averaged 28.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists over seven games. He has appeared in 27 career NBA games over two seasons with the Hawks. “You know, during the stretch, we’ll have opportunities during this 10-day,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said…. Backup center Jaxson Hayes didn’t play against the Hawks because of left hamstring soreness. Redick said Hayes got some “imaging” Tuesday on his injury and that the Lakers will have “more information” going forward.
Sports
Mike Tomlin stepping down as Steelers head coach: reports
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Mike Tomlin is stepping down as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to multiple reports.
Tomlin’s decision on Tuesday came after a blowout loss against the Houston Texans in the AFC Wild Card Round of the playoffs. It marked the Steelers’ seventh straight postseason defeat.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
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