St. Petersburg Celebrates Rays Ahead of Sold-Out Postseason Opener

The City of St. Petersburg celebrated the Tampa Bay Rays heading into the postseason with a Rays flag-raising ceremony.

The ceremony not only celebrated the Rays’ postseason run but also their sold-out home opener against the New York Yankees on Oct. 3.

During the ceremony, St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch expressed gratitude for the team and the city workers who helped bring the Rays home for the 2026 season after Hurricane Milton destroyed Tropicana Field’s roof.

“We are celebrating our team. We’re celebrating our fans. We’re celebrating a community that knows how to come together, overcome challenges and get things done. To the Rays, congratulations on an outstanding season,” Welch said.

The Rays finished the regular season with 98 wins, marking the third-best regular season in franchise history.

The team also won the American League East after beating the New York Yankees earlier this month.

Now, the Rays are facing the Yankees again, this time with home-field advantage and a sold-out stadium.

The last sold-out game was the Rays’ home opener when they returned to the Trop on April 6, 2026.

St. Petersburg will be celebrating Game 1 with block parties, bar viewings and plenty of fans heading into the city. City officials reminded residents to arrive early.

Game 1 starts at 6:30 p.m.