All MLB owners have unanimously agreed to officially transfer ownership of the Rays.

On the 23rd, MLB owners gave unanimous consent to sell the Rays for $1.7 billion (around 12.3 billion RMB) to property magnate Patrick Zalupski, who now faces the task of quickly finding a site for a new ballpark.

The Rays' home, Tropicana Field, suffered severe damage last year from Hurricanes Helen and Milton, with Milton’s storm notably tearing off the entire roof; after former owner Stuart Sternberg withdrew a $1.3 billion new stadium proposal in March, reports indicated that MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and several owners urged Sternberg to sell the team.

In June, reports revealed that the Rays had reached an agreement with Zalupski on the $1.7 billion sale, with Zalupski signing a letter of intent; the deal then entered the MLB review process, with a decision expected in September.

Last week, Manfred expressed his hope that after Zalupski takes over the Rays, a suitable location for a new stadium could be found in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area.

This season, the Rays played their home games at the Yankees’ Triple-A Steinbrenner Field, where they finished the 81 home games with a winning record of 41-40, above .500.

Notably, since Steinbrenner Field is an outdoor stadium unlike Tropicana Field, the Rays experienced 16 rain-delayed games this season, accumulating nearly 18 hours of postponed playing time.

In 2026, the Rays will return to the renovated Tropicana Field with its repaired roof, while awaiting the new owner’s selection and construction of a new stadium before officially relocating.