The Tampa Bay Rays begin the 2026 season against the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday afternoon at Busch Stadium, about three blocks west of the Mississippi River.
Hereabouts, baseball noise has mostly been about team sales, Teflon roof repairs and a Forever Home in Tampa. So, let’s play a little catch-up ahead of first pitch at 4:15 p.m.
Will we see any immediate changes under new ownership?
It’s not breaking news here that the Rays are under new ownership.And while principal owner Patrick Zalupski has been seen around the Tampa Bay area and is quite responsive to fans on social media, minority owner and CEO Ken Babby is establishing himself as the face of the front office. Babby has met with fans at various venues and has been the point person on the stadium project.
As both said upon buying the team from Stuart Sternberg in October, they’re steering clear of baseball operations. So, for the time being you won’t see much difference – in payroll or player procurement.
What you will notice, the Rays said, is an effort to enhance the fan experience at Tropicana Field while keeping games affordable. There are new seating options, upgraded premium areas, and more than two‑thirds of seats will cost about 15% less, with $10 tickets available for every game.
What should I know about opening day?
It’s on the road, which may seem unusual because the Rays have only been away for an opener eight times in 29 years. This one is for obvious necessity with work near completion on Tropicana Field repairs from the damage caused by Hurricane Milton in 2024. It's a nine-game, three-city road trip before the doors reopen at the Trop.
The starting pitchers: right-hander Drew Rasmussen for Tampa Bay and left-hander Matthew Liberatore for St. Louis. Both are making their first opening-day starts.
Liberatore was the Rays’ first-round pick in the 2018 before being dealt to the Cardinals in the 2021 Randy Arozarena deal. Last season, Rasmussen became the first pitcher to return from three major elbow surgeries and be named to the All-Star Game.
What TV channel will Rays games be on?
That’s a good question. We won’t have an answer until a few hours before the game. Frustrating, right? Don’t take it personally. The Rays are among 10 teams making the jump from the struggling FanDuel Sports Network to MLB Media, which wants all the deals with local cable/satellite/internet services complete before making any announcements.
We do know Spectrum has a Rays channel ready to go – because we’ve seen it. And, like last year, expect a handful of games on over-the-air WTOG.
Don’t want to wait? Rays TV, a paid streaming service that will carry every game except for non-exclusive national telecasts, is up and running. Click here to subscribe. Out-of-market fans can tune in via MLB.TV.
The Rays’ on-air talent from last season will return, including longtime play-by-play announcer Dewayne Staats, analyst Brian Anderson and reporter Ryan Bass.
What about Tropicana Field?
Sixteen months after Milton, $60 million in repairs and upgrades are on schedule for the home opener against the Chicago Cubs on April 6.
The final roof panel was replaced on Nov. 21, and the playing field has since been installed, including 137,000 square feet of Shaw Sports artificial turf. An expanded outfield videoboard with improved resolution highlights the visual upgrades, along with new displays behind home plate and along the foul poles.
Additional work includes restoring air conditioning and electricity to the catwalks, installing a sound system, new backstop netting, and flooring for the 360-degree walkway and Viva Deck. Several sections of leather seating were replaced because of water damage, and the clubhouse features new carpet and lockers.
Mold remediation was required throughout the stadium, with additional air quality testing to be completed before it opens to the public.
Will the Rays be any good?
The Rays haven't had three straight losing seasons since 2014-17, but they're in danger of that now. They were unlucky last season, finishing 77-85 despite a plus-31 run differential.
Underestimate them — particularly their ability to piece together a pitching staff — at your peril. But the last two years have shown that overachieving isn't a certainty.
Shane McClanahan, who hasn't pitched in two years, has had some encouraging moments in spring training and his return is crucial. The Rays also traded infield mainstay Brandon Lowe to Pittsburgh.
Any injuries that will affect their start?
Newly acquired second baseman Gavin Lux landed on the 10‑day injured list with a right shoulder impingement, while shortstop Taylor Walls is sidelined with a right oblique strain. Pitchers Ryan Pepiot and reliever Steven Wilson will also start the season on the injured list due to hip and back issues, respectively. These setbacks created opportunities for younger prospects like shortstop Carson Williams and forced the Rays to shuffle depth across the infield and pitching staff.
What else is new in MLB?
You’ll hear a lot about the ABS – or automated ball-strike challenge system. Human umps will still make the calls, but “robot umpires” will be available so the pitcher, catcher or batter can challenge balls and strikes. The signal is simple: a tap of the cap or helmet immediately after the pitch.
Each team gets two challenges per game, and a club keeps its challenge if successful. In extra innings, a team out of challenges gets an additional one.
ABS uses high‑speed cameras and tracking tech to know exactly where each pitch crosses the strike zone relative to the specific batter’s individualized zone. Oh, the implementation of ABS means TV viewers won’t see a strike zone graphic during broadcasts.
Other tweaks:
- To cut down on sign-stealing, base coaches will be more strictly required to remain inside their boxes while the pitcher is on the rubber.
- Umpires will place more emphasis on penalizing intentional or exaggerated attempts to draw obstruction calls.
Information from WUSF’s Daylina Miller and the Associated Press was used in this report.
