40,000 fans return to Tropicana Field for World Series Game 3

More than 40,000 fans are expected to pack Tropicana Field on Monday night for Game 3 of the World Series. The sellout crowd returns to the stadium after a year-long absence caused by damage from Hurricane Milton. The Tampa Bay Rays are trying to erase two consecutive one-run losses in Milwaukee.

The Brewers hold a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. They need two more victories to claim the franchise's first World Series championship. The Rays must win four of the remaining five games to secure their first title in their 29th season of existence.

Hurricane Milton tore the roof off the stadium on October 9, 2024. The storm caused extensive structural damage that forced the team to relocate. The Rays spent nearly $60 million to replace the roof and rebuild the venue. They returned to the ballpark 18.5 months later to begin the 2025 season.

The team played its 2025 home games at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, which serves as the spring training home for the New York Yankees. New ownership led by Patrick Zalupski purchased the club during the renovation period. The group secured county approval in August for a $2.3 billion project to build a new 31,000-seat ballpark near the NFL's Buccaneers facility. The new stadium is scheduled to open in 2029.

Tropicana Field features a distinctive catwalk system beneath its dome. Four circular steel rings stabilize the non-retractable roof. Ground rules state that a batted ball hitting the lower two catwalks is a home run, while a ball hitting the upper two remains in play. The structure caused a unique play in Game 2 of the American League Division Series when a flyball ricocheted off a catwalk before being caught by Victor Mesa Jr.

The stadium also houses seven cownose stingrays in a 10,000-gallon touch tank located in right-center field. The rays survived Hurricane Milton and returned for the opening of the 2025 season. Brewers manager Pat Murphy noted that the unique environment requires players to make adjustments. First baseman Jake Bauers, who played in the outfield for the Rays in 2018, said the roof is the same color as the baseball, making it a visual challenge for players to track the ball.

The Rays and Brewers tied for the best home record in the regular season with a 55-26 mark. Rays manager Kevin Cash told reporters that he expects the home crowd to be loud and help the team reset. The team has a history of hosting World Series games at this venue, having split two home games in 2008 before losing the series in Philadelphia.