Rays ready for return to Tropicana Field in home opener vs. Cubs

For the Tampa Bay Rays, Monday afternoon's home opener against the Chicago Cubs will be "Dome sweet home."

The Rays open a six-game homestand this week, and the buzz around the bay is all about returning to the ballpark the club has called home for its entire existence except for last season.

All of that was because of Hurricane Milton, which ravaged Tropicana Field on Oct. 9, 2024 -- 18 1/2 months ago.

However, the renovations are completed, including a new roof last August, and the contest already is a sellout as regular-season baseball comes back to St. Petersburg.

"I briefly walked through there, couldn't be more impressed with the way it looks, and excited to see our fans," Rays manager Kevin Cash said about coming home. "I think our guys are going to appreciate just having our fans in the building, cheering us on for our opening day."

Reliever Griffin Jax joined the team last July and said playing across the bay in Tampa at the spring training home of the Yankees was not the best experience.

"It was difficult," Jax said about playing at Steinbrenner Field. "I don't think anybody expects to play in a situation like that. ... The situation isn't great. The environment wasn't awesome, but it's still baseball. You just have to roll with it.

"It'll be cool to see all the new renovations and upgrades they made along the way. ... It'll be good to be back in our home."

The Rays, who return home having won two of three at the Minnesota Twins, will start Shane McClanahan (0-1, 3.86 ERA), who lost against the Milwaukee Brewers in a 4 2/3-inning start. The lefty is 0-1 with a 2.31 ERA in two career starts against the Cubs.

Perhaps a little weary, Chicago arrives as the first opponent in the refurbished stadium after a long weekend in Cleveland that concluded with Sunday's doubleheader against the Guardians following Saturday's rainout.

In the opener, Edward Cabrera and three relievers blanked Cleveland on one hit in a 1-0 win.

In the nightcap, Dansby Swanson, Matt Shaw and Ian Happ all homered, but the Guardians rallied from a 3-0 deficit in a 6-5 split of the twin-bill.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell had an update on Seiya Suzuki, who injured his right knee in the World Baseball Classic.

"He'll stay on rehab and play in Knoxville on Tuesday and Wednesday then rejoin us on Friday in Chicago," said Counsell of Suzuki, who went 1-for-2 with a run and a walk playing right field Sunday for the Knoxville Smokies.

There has been a little concern on the North Side staff's behalf regarding the health of Monday's starter Jameson Taillon (0-0, 0.00), who tossed four innings and received no decision after his scoreless start Tuesday in a 2-0 home loss against the Los Angeles Angels.

The right-hander, who was born in Lakeland, Fla., an hour from the Rays' domed park, had a terrible spring and has been noticeably lacking velocity.

"Hopefully as the weather warms up and we keep working, (velocity will) come," said Taillon, 34. "But I just needed to get back to executing and finding a way to get big-league hitters out."

Against Tampa Bay, Taillon is 3-2 with a 2.21 ERA in seven starts.

--Field Level Media