TAMPA — As the Yankees prepared for their first road game at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Thursday, their tenants appeared more than cozy.
Gone were all the Yankees logos that once filled the home clubhouse. That was to be expected with the Rays moving in this season after Hurricane Milton destroyed Tropicana Field, but the displaced club already seemed right at home with various creature comforts filling the room.
In the middle of the clubhouse floor sat a putting green. A nearby column held a dartboard, courtesy of Zack Littell. Three fishing poles hung between Littell and Shane McClanahan’s locker, while a charcoal caricature portrait of Yandy Díaz dangled from his stall. Shane Baz’s locker, meanwhile, featured an Iron Man Funko figure and bags upon bags of candy.
His apparent sweet tooth unsatisfied, Baz also had a “Candy Suggestion Box,” accompanied by a sign that read, “I work for tips.”
“We knew we’d have this big open area to make the space our own,” Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe said before a 6-3 loss. “This is where we are for 81 games, and we’re going to figure out how to make it enjoyable.”
While personal items are always nice to have, enjoying the facilities at GMS was never going to be a problem for the Rays, who didn’t exactly play in baseball’s most beloved, up-to-date ballpark before this.
Back in spring training, GMS debuted millions of dollars’ worth of renovations, including a fully-equipped weight room, a training room full of massage tables and whirlpools, a cafeteria with delicious food, and a players’ lounge. The Yankees made the most of these spaces in spring training, but they’re off-limits to the Bombers and other visitors this season.
Instead, the Rays have the area all to themselves.
“They did an amazing job renovating this spot, and everything’s essentially brand new. So we got pretty lucky in that regard,” Rays reliever Garrett Cleavinger said. “They did a great job with this place. It’s gorgeous.”
“It’s the nicest spring training facility I’ve been to,” added Rays catcher Ben Rortvedt, who played for the Yankees before the latest remodeling.
Rortvedt said he’s made particular use of the tubs, while several Rays highlighted the weight room as Steinbrenner Field’s best amenity.
Starter Drew Rasmussen, however, appreciates how much natural light there is behind the scenes. He called it “a nice change of pace,” as the domed Tropicana Field didn’t offer many views of the outside world.
Rortvedt, no longer playing in a stadium with a casino effect, agreed.
“We can actually look outside and see what time it is,” the backstop said.
A few Rays are also in love with the cafeteria, which was serving made-to-order meals and daily specials during Yankees spring training. The large dining hall, as well as the weight room, overlooks one of the side fields at GMS and has indoor and outdoor seating.
“What they did with the cafeteria is awesome,” Rasmussen said. “It’s kind of got a cafe vibe to it, which is pretty cool. A little bit different than The Trop, where you were just kind of closed in on four sides.”
While some might argue GMS is more luxurious than The Trop ever was, the Rays still know they’re not at a big league ballpark.
Lowe noted that the sight of side fields serve as a daily reminder that GMS is still a spring training complex, and the lack of an upper deck and limited outfield seating hammers the point home.
“It is different, and it is strange,” Lowe said.
Other Rays missed their longtime home, even if they’re loving their temporary one.
“The Trop holds a special place in a lot of our hearts,” Cleavinger said, though the Rays are certainly appreciative of how things turned out given the unfortunate circumstances.
Rortvedt used the words “extremely grateful,” while third baseman Junior Caminero said, “We are blessed to be here.”
“We thank the Yankees for giving us the opportunity to be able to be here this year,” Caminero added. “This is a great facility.”
Rasmussen used similar language, though he also made it a point to say GMS doesn’t belong to their division rival anymore. At least not until next spring.
“We are grateful and thankful to them, which is a funny thing to say, for allowing us to use the facility,” Rasmussen said. “But also, as far as this regular season goes, this is our home, not theirs. They have the opportunity, of course, to use it every spring, and it’s got Steinbrenner written on the stadium itself.
“But they’ve given us permission to call this home, and that’s what we’re doing.”
