The Tampa Bay Rays have one of the most unusual histories in Major League Baseball. The franchise began play in 1998 as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, endured years of losing baseball, changed its name to the Tampa Bay Rays in 2008, immediately reached the World Series, and eventually became one of baseball’s most innovative small-market organizations.
The franchise has won two American League pennants — in 2008 and 2020 — but has never won a World Series. Through 2026, the Rays have established themselves as one of baseball’s most successful organizations at developing players, making trades and competing despite operating in a relatively small market.
The Birth of Major League Baseball in Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay spent decades trying to obtain a Major League Baseball team. On March 9, 1995, MLB awarded an expansion franchise to an ownership group led by Vincent J. Naimoli. The Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Arizona Diamondbacks were approved as MLB’s two expansion franchises for the 1998 season.
The Devil Rays played their first regular-season game in 1998. The early years were extremely difficult. Tampa Bay finished last in the American League East in six consecutive seasons from 1998 through 2003 and again from 2005 through 2007.
Everything changed after the 2007 season.
The organization changed its name from the Devil Rays to the Tampa Bay Rays, adopted a new identity and began the 2008 season with a dramatically improved roster. The Rays went from years of last-place finishes to winning the American League pennant in their first season under the new name.
Rays Ownership History
1. Vincent J. Naimoli and the Original Ownership Group — 1998–2005
Vincent J. Naimoli was the driving force behind bringing Major League Baseball to Tampa Bay.
Naimoli led the original ownership group when the Devil Rays were awarded the expansion franchise. The group included Naimoli and several Tampa Bay-area investors.
Naimoli remained the principal figure in the franchise’s ownership during its difficult first years. He brought Major League Baseball to the Tampa Bay region, but the team’s early struggles eventually led to a change in control. MLB describes Naimoli as the original owner and the person who led the group that brought the franchise to Tampa Bay.
2. Stuart Sternberg — 2005–2025
Stuart Sternberg became the franchise’s principal owner in October 2005.
His ownership represented the turning point in Rays history. Sternberg hired Andrew Friedman to lead baseball operations and eventually oversaw the transformation from the struggling Devil Rays into the innovative Tampa Bay Rays.
The biggest change came after the 2007 season, when the organization dropped “Devil” from its name.
Under Sternberg, the Rays:
Won the 2008 American League pennant
Reached the 2008 World Series
Won the AL East in 2008, 2010 and 2020
Reached the postseason repeatedly
Won another American League pennant in 2020
Developed one of baseball’s strongest player-development systems
Sternberg ultimately sold the franchise in 2025 after two decades as principal owner.
3. Patrick Zalupski-Led Ownership Group — 2025–Present
The sale of the Rays was completed on September 30, 2025.
The new ownership group is led by:
Patrick Zalupski — Managing Partner and Co-Chair
Bill Cosgrove — Co-Chair
Ken Babby — Chief Executive Officer
The ownership group also includes a broader collection of investors and an executive advisory board.
Zalupski’s group became the third major ownership group in franchise history following Naimoli and Sternberg.
One of the new ownership group’s primary goals is establishing a permanent future home for the Rays in the Tampa Bay area.
In August 2026, the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners approved the Rays’ proposed “Forever Home” ballpark agreement following approval by the Tampa City Council. The proposed new stadium is planned as part of a larger development at the Hillsborough College Dale Mabry campus.
Every Ballpark the Rays Have Called Home
The Rays’ history includes considerably more ballparks than most fans realize.
Hillsborough College Dale Mabry— St. Petersburg, Florida
1998–2024; 2026–present
Tropicana Field has been the Rays’ primary home since their inaugural season.
The facility originally opened in 1990 as the Florida Suncoast Dome, later became known as the ThunderDome, and was renamed Tropicana Field in 1996.
The Rays played their first season there in 1998 and returned there in 2026 after a one-season absence caused by hurricane damage.
Tropicana Field hosted the Rays’ first World Series games in 2008.
The Ballpark at Disney’s Wide World of Sports / Champion Stadium
2007 and 2008
The Rays played regular-season games at Disney’s complex in Lake Buena Vista.
They hosted the Texas Rangers there in May 2007 and the Toronto Blue Jays in April 2008, going a combined 6-0 in those games.
Tokyo Dome — Tokyo, Japan
2004
The Devil Rays played two regular-season games against the New York Yankees at Tokyo Dome on March 30–31, 2004.
Tampa Bay won the opener 8-3 but lost the second game 12-1, giving the club a 1-1 record in Tokyo.
Citi Field — New York
2017
Citi Field forced the Rays to relocate their scheduled series against the Yankees from Tropicana Field to Citi Field.
Tampa Bay served as the home team and went 1-2 in the three-game series.
Petco Park — San Diego
2020 postseason
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 American League Division Series and Championship Series were played at neutral sites.
The Rays played at Petco Park and went 5-2 there while defeating the Yankees in the AL Division Series and Houston Astros in the AL Championship Series.
Globe Life Field — Arlington, Texas
2020 World Series
The entire 2020 World Series was played at Globe Life Field.
Tampa Bay was officially the home team for Games 3, 4 and 5.
George M. Steinbrenner Field — Tampa, Florida
2025
Hurricane Milton severely damaged Tropicana Field in October 2024.
As a result, the Rays played their entire 2025 home schedule at George M. Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees’ spring-training facility and the home of the Tampa Tarpons.
Tampa Bay went 41-40 at Steinbrenner Field in 2025.
Cooperstown Hall of Famers Rays
There is an important distinction here.
No player has been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame specifically representing the Tampa Bay Rays
Cooperstown Hall of Famers Rays
None
The Tampa Bay Rays have never had a player win the American League Most Valuable Player Award.
Several Rays have come close.
Rays Rookie of the Year Winners
The Rays have produced four American League Rookie of the Year winners.
Evan Longoria — 2008
Position: Third baseman
Born: Downey, California
Longoria won the 2008 AL Rookie of the Year Award during Tampa Bay’s historic run to the World Series.
He immediately became the face of the franchise and eventually became the Rays’ all-time leader in games played, home runs and RBIs.
Jeremy Hellickson — 2011
Position: Pitcher
Born: Des Moines, Iowa
Hellickson won the 2011 AL Rookie of the Year Award after establishing himself as a major part of the Rays’ starting rotation.
Wil Myers — 2013
Position: Outfielder
Born: Thomasville, North Carolina
Myers won the 2013 AL Rookie of the Year Award after arriving in Tampa Bay in the blockbuster trade that sent James Shields and Wade Davis to Kansas City.
Randy Arozarena — 2021
Position: Outfielder
Born: Havana, Cuba
Arozarena won the 2021 AL Rookie of the Year Award following his remarkable 2020 postseason.
His 2020 playoff performance became one of the greatest postseason performances in Rays history. He hit a record 10 postseason home runs and helped carry Tampa Bay to the World Series.
The Rays’ four Rookie of the Year winners are:
Year
Player
Hometown
2008
Evan Longoria
Downey, California
2011
Jeremy Hellickson
Des Moines, Iowa
2013
Wil Myers
Thomasville, North Carolina
2021
Randy Arozarena
Havana, Cuba
MLB’s official Rays awards list confirms all four winners.
Rays Cy Young Award Winners
Tampa Bay has won two American League Cy Young Awards.
David Price — 2012
Position: Pitcher
Born: Murfreesboro, Tennessee
David Price won the 2012 AL Cy Young Award after becoming the ace of the Tampa Bay rotation.
Price was selected first overall by Tampa Bay in the 2007 MLB Draft and became one of the most important players in franchise history.
He also played a major role in the 2008 pennant-winning club.
Blake Snell — 2018
Position: Pitcher
Born: Seattle, Washington
Blake Snell won the 2018 AL Cy Young Award after dominating the American League with Tampa Bay.
He went 21-5 with a 1.89 ERA and became the second Rays pitcher to win the award.
The Rays’ official awards history lists Price in 2012 and Snell in 2018 as the franchise’s two Cy Young winners.
Year
Winner
Hometown
2012
David Price
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
2018
Blake Snell
Seattle, Washington
The Rays’ World Series History
The Rays have appeared in the World Series twice.
They have won the American League pennant twice but have never won the World Series.
2008 World Series
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Philadelphia Phillies
The 2008 Rays were one of baseball’s great surprise teams.
After finishing 66-96 in 2007, Tampa Bay exploded to a 97-65 record in 2008, winning its first American League East championship.
The Rays defeated:
Chicago White Sox — ALDS, 3-1
Boston Red Sox — ALCS, 4-3
Philadelphia Phillies — World Series, lost 1-4
The Phillies won the World Series in five games.
World Series result: Philadelphia Phillies over Tampa Bay Rays, 4 games to 1.
2020 World Series
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
The Rays returned to the World Series in 2020 after an extraordinary postseason.
They defeated:
Toronto Blue Jays — Wild Card Series, 2-0
New York Yankees — ALDS, 3-2
Houston Astros — ALCS, 4-3
Los Angeles Dodgers — World Series, lost 2-4
The Dodgers won the championship in six games.
World Series result: Los Angeles Dodgers over Tampa Bay Rays, 4 games to 2.
Rays World Series Record
Appearances: 2
American League Championships: 2
World Series Championships: 0
World Series games won: 3
World Series games lost: 8
Players the Rays Traded Away Who Became Stars
Trading has been central to the Rays’ business model.
Because Tampa Bay operates in a smaller market, the organization has repeatedly traded established players for younger players and prospects. Some of the players who left Tampa Bay subsequently became stars elsewhere.
Josh Hamilton
Perhaps the most dramatic example is Josh Hamilton.
Tampa Bay selected Hamilton No. 1 overall in the 1999 MLB Draft.
He never established himself in the Major Leagues with Tampa Bay. After injuries and personal problems interrupted his development, Hamilton was selected by the Chicago Cubs from the Rays in the 2006 Rule 5 Draft and subsequently ended up with Cincinnati.
The Texas Rangers acquired him in 2007.
Hamilton then became a five-time All-Star and won the 2010 American League MVP Award with Texas.
This is arguably the Rays’ most famous case of losing a future superstar before he became an established Major League star.
David Price
Price was already a star when Tampa Bay traded him to Detroit in 2014, so he does not technically fit the “before becoming a star” category.
However, the trade is enormously important to Rays history because Tampa Bay received Willy Adames as part of the return.
Adames eventually became one of the organization’s most important young players.
Willy Adames
Adames became a valuable Major League shortstop with Tampa Bay before being traded to Milwaukee in 2021.
He subsequently developed into an established star and All-Star-level player with the Brewers.
The Rays originally acquired Adames from Detroit as part of the 2014 David Price trade.
Scott Kazmir
Kazmir was not traded away before becoming a star with Tampa Bay, but his career illustrates another Rays strategy.
Tampa Bay acquired him from the Mets in 2004 when he was still a top pitching prospect. He became a two-time All-Star with the Rays before being traded to the Los Angeles Angels in 2009.
Matt Garza
Garza arrived from Minnesota in the Delmon Young trade and became an important member of the 2008 Rays.
Tampa Bay later traded Garza to the Chicago Cubs in 2011 and received a package that included Chris Archer.
Archer subsequently became one of the most important pitchers in Rays history.
This began what MLB has described as one of the most fruitful trade trees in modern baseball.
The Famous Delmon Young Trade Tree
One of the most fascinating stories in Rays history began with the trade of Delmon Young.
In November 2007, Tampa Bay traded Young, Brendan Harris and Jason Pridie to Minnesota.
The Rays received:
Matt Garza, Jason Bartlett, and Eduardo Morlan.
Garza became a key part of the 2008 pennant-winning team.
In 2011, Tampa Bay traded Garza to the Cubs for a package that included Chris Archer.
Archer became one of the Rays’ most important pitchers.
In 2018, Tampa Bay traded Archer to Pittsburgh for:
Tyler Glasnow, Austin Meadows, and Shane Baz
The Rays subsequently continued moving pieces of this trade tree for additional prospects and players.
MLB has described the resulting chain of transactions as a remarkable example of Tampa Bay’s ability to continually turn one trade into future talent.
Randy Arozarena and Another Famous Trade
Tampa Bay acquired Randy Arozarena from the St. Louis Cardinals in January 2020.
At the time, the deal received more attention for the other pieces involved. Arozarena then exploded onto the national stage during the 2020 postseason.
He established a postseason record with 10 home runs, won AL Rookie of the Year in 2021 and became one of the most recognizable players in Rays history.
The Rays eventually traded Arozarena to Seattle in 2024 for a package of prospects.
This is another example of the Rays’ unusual ability to acquire talent, develop it into a star and then turn that star into another wave of prospects.
The Evan Longoria Era
If one player represents the first great era of Rays baseball, it is Evan Longoria.
Tampa Bay drafted Longoria in 2006 and he quickly became one of the greatest players in franchise history.
He was the 2008 Rookie of the Year and helped lead the Rays to their first American League pennant.
Longoria spent a decade in Tampa Bay before being traded to San Francisco after the 2017 season.
At the time of his departure, he was the franchise leader in:
Games played
Home runs
RBIs
The Rays themselves have described Longoria as the greatest player in franchise history.
In 2025, Longoria formally retired as a Tampa Bay Ray with a ceremonial one-day contract.
The Rays’ Greatest Accomplishment
The most remarkable accomplishment in Rays history may not be either World Series appearance.
It is the organization’s ability to repeatedly rebuild.
The Rays have operated with a much smaller payroll than many of their American League East competitors, yet they have repeatedly developed:
Evan Longoria, David Price, Carl Crawford, B.J. Upton, James Shields, Ben Zobrist, Chris Archer, Blake Snell, Ben Zobrist, Randy Arozarena, Brandon Lowe, Shane McClanahan, and
Junior Caminero.
The organization has relied heavily on scouting, player development, analytics and trades.
MLB’s own examination of the franchise’s history describes trades as part of the Rays’ organizational DNA.
The Rays Today and the Future
The Rays entered a new era in 2025 when Patrick Zalupski’s ownership group purchased the franchise from Stuart Sternberg.
The team returned to Tropicana Field in 2026 after spending the 2025 season at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
The new ownership group is also pursuing a new permanent ballpark.
In August 2026, the proposed “Rays Forever Home” received approval from both the Tampa City Council and Hillsborough County Commission. The proposed facility is part of a larger mixed-use development planned for Tampa.
The goal is to provide Tampa Bay with a permanent modern home for Major League Baseball.
Tampa Bay Rays Historical Quick Facts
Founded: 1995 expansion award
First MLB season: 1998
Original name: Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Current name: Tampa Bay Rays
American League: East Division
Original owner: Vincent J. Naimoli
Principal owner, 2005–2025: Stuart Sternberg
Current ownership: Patrick Zalupski-led group
Current managing partner: Patrick Zalupski
Current co-chair: Bill Cosgrove
Current CEO: Ken Babby
First home: Tropicana Field
Current 2026 home: Tropicana Field
Temporary 2025 home: George M. Steinbrenner Field
American League pennants: 2
World Series appearances: 2
World Series championships: 0
AL MVP winners: 0
Cy Young winners: 2
Rookie of the Year winners: 4
Cooperstown Hall of Famers who played for franchise: Wade Boggs and Fred McGriff
First AL pennant: 2008
Second AL pennant: 2020
Final Thoughts
The Tampa Bay Rays began as one of the worst teams in Major League Baseball and evolved into one of its most innovative organizations.
The 2008 transformation from Devil Rays to Rays changed the franchise forever. That team won 97 games, captured the American League pennant and put Tampa Bay baseball on the national stage.
The 2020 team proved that 2008 was not a fluke, reaching another World Series.
Although the Rays have yet to win a World Series, their history is remarkable for a franchise that entered the Major Leagues in 1998. They have produced two Cy Young Award winners, four Rookie of the Year winners, two Cooperstown Hall of Famers who wore the uniform, two American League pennants and generations of outstanding players.
The next chapter could be just as important.
With new ownership, a developing plan for a new Tampa ballpark and another generation of young talent, the Rays are attempting to build not merely another competitive team, but a permanent Major League Baseball institution in Tampa Bay.
I can also turn this into a much longer 5,000-word WordPress version with a year-by-year Rays timeline, every playoff appearance, all division titles, franchise leaders, managers, retired numbers, and the biggest trades.
Artie Fischal
