The Yankees-to-Rays changeover of Steinbrenner Field rounded first base Monday, but there is still a long way to go before Tampa Bay’s season opener on Friday.
The 120-hour swap began Sunday, shortly after New York and Tampa Bay concluded spring training at the stadium.
RELATED: The Rays get 120 hours to turn the Yankees' ballpark into their own
The Rays are playing their 2025 home schedule at the Yankees’ spring home in Tampa because of hurricane damage to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.
By Monday afternoon, the scoreboard marquee on Dale Mabry Highway featured oversized images of Tampa Bay pitchers Shane McClanahan and Taj Bradley, with a message of thanks for the New York Yankees.
As signage for Rays’ advertisers went up around the ballpark, large “New York Yankees” workmarks came down at the team store at the front gates.
Dozers of workers in yellow Rays shirts busied about and vendors in the breezeways inventoried Yankees merchandise and prepared Rays memorabilia for shelves and racks.
Perhaps the most obvious change: The 10-by-9-foot letters that spell out “YANKEES” that face drive-by traffic were draped on the stadium’s east side by the word “RAYS” with Tampa Bay’s starburst logo. The same treatment is slated for the west side.
The media will get a closer look on Wednesday, but the clock is ticking on the Rays before the Colorado Rockies take the Opening Day first pitch at 4:10 p.m. Friday.
On Tuesday, the Rays against the game is sold out.
The forecast for outdoor baseball in Tampa Bay: clear skies and 83 degrees.
