TAMPA — Whatever inconveniences, weather issues or other impact there is for the Rays in being forced to relocate from hurricane-damaged Tropicana Field seemed lesser Wednesday when they got their first look around their plush 2025 digs at Steinbrenner Field.

“This is dope, man,” infielder/outfielder Richie Palacios said. “This is dope — there’s no other way of saying it.”

Some of Palacios’ less-hip teammates found other words, with the general consensus a mix between “Holy Cow” and “Wow.”

“It’s very impressive,” said third baseman Junior Caminero, via team interpreter Eddie Rodriguez. “I wasn’t expecting this. It’s awesome.”

After months of plotting and planning, Rays staff leapt into action following the Yankees’ final exhibition game Sunday to begin the massive task of rebranding the spring training/Class A minor-league stadium into their regular-season home.

By noon Wednesday, they had much of the exterior work complete.

R-A-Y-S lettering and a sunburst replace Yankees signage in the stands at Steinbrenner Field. The regular-season turnaround was tight with the last spring game here on Sunday. [ JEFFEREE WOO | Times ]

Rays signage and logos were covering what had been Yankees’ marks. Outfield signs touted Rays sponsors and photos of their own, including Taj Bradley and Shane McClanahan on the back of the centerfield scoreboard that faces Dale Mabry Highway.

“An incredible logistical feat,” chief business officer Bill Walsh said.

For the players, what matters most is the facilities where they will spend the bulk of their time.

And they could not have been more pleased.

“Usually when the Yankees are going to put money into something, it’s going to be pretty good,” outfielder Josh Lowe said. “And it shows. It’s definitely stood up to the standard that everybody’s said about it so far. It’s great.”

As Rays players found their way around the renovated and expanded space, they raved about the expansive clubhouse, the gym with floor-to-ceiling glass and a cardio deck, the massive dining area with indoor and outdoor seating, and the state-of-the-art training facilities, including large hot tubs and three different pools.

“I’ve never been in a clubhouse that has pools with TVs at eye level,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “It’s pretty remarkable.”

The exterior of Steinbrenner Field now hints at who will be calling the location home for the 2025 regular season. [ JEFFEREE WOO | Times ]

The Rays’ misfortune in losing their home at the Trop was offset by the timing of the Yankees having just completed a massive upgrade to their facility, expanding player/staff space to around 50,000-square feet with top-of-the-line accessories.

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“We were fortunate that the Yankees do things right, and then we were fortunate that they just remodeled everything, renovated everything, It’s beautiful,” said Cash, who is entering his 21st season in a big-league uniform.

“I’ve never been in a clubhouse that’s nicer than this. .. It’s just very, very well put together. I mean, no excuses. We are in a very nice ballpark with great amenities, and the inside of it is going to do everything we need to keep our players on the field, happy and playing good baseball.”

And, as outfielder Jonny DeLuca said: “It’s pretty much the best conditions we can ask for.”

The players were equally impressed with how quickly their staff, led by Tyler Wall, made the clubhouse look and feel like their own after just starting Monday.

“Our staff and everyone, they all look super tired, so I know they’ve been grinding,” Palacios said. “I don’t know if they’ve slept yet.”

Not much, anyway.

Rays logos are displayed on weight room equipment. The gym is two stories with floor-to-ceiling glass and a cardio deck. [ JEFFEREE WOO | Times ]

What Wall described as “a busy week, to say the least,” started with unloading seven trucks — four from the Trop and three from the Port Charlotte training site — of equipment, uniforms and other items, and figuring out the best way to set the place up.

Some of the tasks were big, such as the covering the large, lighted NY logo on the ceiling with draping that reads “Home of the Rays” with the burst logo.

And some were small, such as designing Rays-themed nameplates for the lockers, adding the burst to the players’ chairs, covering the subway-style tile near the showers with the words The Bronx, and putting suction cups over the Yankees’ logos built into the hot tubs.

“We’re going to try our best to cover everything up and make it like home,” Wall said. “This is supposed to be the Rays’ place for the next season at least, so let’s make it home and make them comfortable so we can perform well on the field.”

Wall said the transformation will be an ongoing process, as they find more ways to make it more like home. Cash acknowledged the players may be “a little bit overwhelmed” by all the newness and might need a week or two to get comfortable.

Workers put Rays banners on the walls at the Steinbrenner Field facilities to make the team feel more at home. [ JEFFEREE WOO | Times ]

And there will be days when they fully realize they are playing in a minor-league facility.

But, all things considered, it’s a pretty good situation.

“Inside, it’s the big leagues, it’s fantastic. They’ve done a great job,” said Brandon Lowe, their longest-tenured player. “Obviously coming out to the field, it’s a little different. You can definitely see some of the minor-league stuff when you get out here.

“But it’s the situation we’re given; I don’t think you’re going to hear a lot of guys complaining about anything that we have this year. We’re just going to be really thankful we have a place to play and a home clubhouse that’s as good as the one we have.”

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