Outside The Confines: Rays stay home

After much debate and discussion about the Tampa Bay Rays’ future in Florida, and whether or not the team would stay in St. Petersburgh, head to Tampa proper, or leave the state entirely and head to Montreal (remember that split season idea?) it would appear that the Rays will stay in St. Petersburgh after all.

The Rays have finalized a deal for the future home of their stadium, and it will be a new 30-year lease for a location in St. Pete’s historic Gas Plant District. It will once again be a dome (look, if you’ve ever spent time in Florida in the summer, you know why this is necessary), and will seat about 30,000 fans.

The stadium is set to open in 2028 after the current stadium lease expires in 2027.

Here’s some additional reading on the stadium deal:

• Ken Rosenthal looks over the finer details of the deal. (The Athletic subscription required)
• Adam Berry shows some of the press conference and looks at the deal.
• Jay Cridlin gives a local assessment for the Tampa Bay Times.

Now let’s get on to the rest of today’s links!

• On the cusp of his retirement, Adam Wainwright collects his 200th win. Story by Jay Jaffe.
• The Rays are making a strong push to finish the season on an up note. Story by Brian Murphy.
• Frankie Taddeo looks at how Mets fans reacted to their own pitcher’s throwing gaffe.
• Shohei Ohtani has undergone surgery and released a statement after the fact through his agent.

• Ben Clemens wants to know if Josh Hader could have been a starter.
• Zach Neto’s mom got to witness an incredible home run as he blasted one with her in the audience. Story by Joey Johnston.
• Tom Verducci believes the Giants are the most boring team this postseason.
• Tigers’ outfielder Riley Greene will undergo surgery on his elbow. (AP)
• Man I love infographics.

• Emma Baccellieri gives us more on Ohtani’s surgery and how it’s one more example of how incompetent the Angels have been this season.
• Dan Szymborski tries to assess whether or not Freddie Freeman could become a member of the 3000 hit club.
• Brent Maguire looks at a spectacular minor league double play.
• Emma Baccellieri assesses five things left to be decided in the 2023 postseason.
• Ken Rosenthal and Dennis Lin revisit the disastrous season of the San Diego Padres. (The Athletic subscription required)
• There will be a new “team” version of the Silver Slugger award.

• On that note, Jayson Stark tries to determine if the Braves are the best offensive team in history. (The Athletic subscription required.)

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Make it so.