ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — The Tampa Bay Rays will take on a new turf and the Toronto Blue Jays to start the season on Thursday.
Gates to Tropicana Field open at 2:10 p.m.
“The stripes out there, the backfield, it all looks great,” said Dan Moeller, Director of Special Projects & Field Operations.
If you’re going to the game, you should get to the ballpark early for Opening Day. Not only is it a soldout game and parking is expected to fill, but it will also give you time to explore all the ballpark’s new features, like the field.
“We’re not getting the big hops that we were getting in the past with the different backfields so it’s well-received,” Moeller said.
There is now a coconut husk backfield and a crushed walnut shell warning track. With the warning track, Moeller said players should be able to feel when they’re getting close to the wall.
