The recent Hurricane Milton seems to have spared the MLB spring training facilities on Florida’s west coast from major damage, unlike Hurricane Ian two years ago that caused extensive damage to the Tampa Bay Rays’ spring home in Port Charlotte. The Rays are currently assessing the situation at their training complex and stadium in Port Charlotte, as well as Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, where the roof was shredded.
Fortunately, the damage from Hurricane Ian that cost over $17 million to fix and led to the Rays splitting workouts and spring training games between Disney World and St. Petersburg in 2023 has not been repeated. The Port Charlotte complex, including Charlotte Sports Park, reopened in time for last winter’s spring training.
The Atlanta Braves in the Venice, Florida area are also assessing the situation, while the Boston Red Sox reported minimal damage at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers. The Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton saw some damage at LECOM Park and Pirates City, but nothing compared to the devastation caused by hurricanes Helene and Milton.
The New York Yankees complex in Tampa experienced limited damage, mainly to foul poles and fences, but provided shelter to 75 families during the storm. The Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater did not report major damage, but did have water in the lower level at BayCare Ballpark. They are working on repairs with the city and are currently without power.
On the east coast of Florida, the New York Mets’ spring home in Port St. Lucie was not significantly damaged despite being hit by tornadoes prior to Hurricane Milton’s arrival. The team is still assessing the situation to ensure everything is in working order for the upcoming season.
Overall, the MLB spring training facilities on Florida’s west coast seem to have come out relatively unscathed from Hurricane Milton, allowing teams to continue preparations for the upcoming season without major disruptions. The efforts of teams and local authorities to assess and repair any damage quickly will ensure that operations can resume normally in the near future.
