Tampa Bay Rays vs. Minnesota Twins

In 2002, I made my very first visit to a Major League ballpark that wasn’t my home park. 24 years later, I returned to Tropicana Field for Day 8 of the Big Florida Trip to watch my hometown Minnesota Twins.

• 2nd visit to Tropicana Field
• 7th different ballpark watching the Twins

This visit was special because it served as a major reunion. I was joined by my brother, Jay, and his two sons, my long-time friend Nim—who I’ve traded cards with since 2005—and my friend Sherry, a fellow “Ballpark STAMPeder” who I met at the Field of Dreams two years ago.

Insider “Tour”

Since Sherry has been a season ticket holder since the Rays’ inaugural season, she gave our group a personalized “tour” of the stadium.

We had a lot to see in the 90 minutes before first pitch, including:

• Twins batting practice
• Rays team store
• 10,000 gallon cownose stingray tank
• Special seats in the outfield commemorating
  • First home run in Rays’ history hit by Wade Boggs
  • Wade Boggs’ 3,000th hit (the only one as a home run)
  • Dan Johnson’s game-tying home run against the Yankees in Game 162 off the 2011 season in which the Rays clinched the American League Wild Card
• History exhibit on the lower level
• Season ticket holder lounge

Seat Selection

Section 109 Row M (Behind home plate)

I managed to secure seats near home plate to get as close to the Twins as possible. The first thing I noticed was how much the environment had changed; the new roof, replaced after damage from Hurricane Helene, makes the entire venue feel significantly brighter than it did during my 2002 visit or on recent television broadcasts.

Rays tickets are generally more affordable than other MLB ballparks; like loanDepot Park, the stadium avoids feeling empty despite the upper deck being closed for most games.

Revisit from 2002

Stepping back into the Trop felt like opening a time capsule. In 2002, this was the very first ‘away’ ballpark I ever visited, sparking a curiosity that eventually grew into a mission to see all thirty. Holding up my grainy photo from 24 years ago against the now-vibrant field felt like a full-circle moment; while the stadium has evolved—most notably with a much brighter roof following Hurricane Helene—the core excitement of being a traveling fan remains exactly the same.

Ballpark Food of Choice

For dinner, I went with a classic Nathan’s Hot Dog and a drink. Thanks to Sherry’s season ticket holder status, I was able to use the shorter lines and discounts in the lounge. Plus, since all Rays tickets for April included $10 of “Rays cash,” the meal was a great value.

Game Highlights: A Power Display at the Trop

The Rays definitely had the Twins’ number in this matchup, fueled by a relentless power display that accounted for all their runs in a 6-2 victory. Junior Caminero was the undisputed star of the night, finishing 2-for-4 with two massive home runs and three RBIs. These weren’t just wall-scrapers; Caminero’s “ferocious” swings sent the ball flying 450 and 435 feet, respectively.

Joining the hit parade was Jonathan Aranda, who celebrated his first career multi-homer game by launching two solo shots of his own. Between Caminero and Aranda, the Rays’ young stars provided all the offense Tampa Bay needed to secure the win.

For my hometown Twins, the offense was limited to solo efforts. Royce Lewis notched his third home run of the season, and Brooks Lee—who had a standout night going 3-for-4—added his fourth. While Minnesota actually out-hit the Rays 9 to 7, they struggled to capitalize on opportunities, leaving nine runners on base compared to only four for the Rays.

On the mound, it was a tough homecoming for Taj Bradley, who surrendered all four of the Rays’ home runs in the loss. Meanwhile, Drew Rasmussen earned his second win of the season, and Bryan Baker came on to record his fifth save. Though it wasn’t the result I wanted for the Twins, seeing six total home runs from my seat behind home plate made for an unforgettable night at the newly brightened Tropicana Field.