History of the Tampa Bay Rays
MLB franchise that began as the Devil Rays in 1998.
The Tampa Bay Rays, a professional baseball team from St. Petersburg, Florida, play in the American League East division of Major League Baseball. Their home field has always been Tropicana Field. The franchise was finally approved on March 9, 1995, ending nearly 30 years of failed efforts to bring an expansion team or lure an existing club to the Tampa Bay area. They debuted as the Tampa Bay Devil Rays during the 1998 season.
For most of their first decade, the team was consistently at the bottom of the AL East, finishing last every year except 2004, when they placed second-to-last. After the 2007 season, Stuart Sternberg—who had taken over as majority owner from Vince Naimoli two years earlier—shortened the name from "Devil Rays" to simply "Rays," shifting the meaning from the manta ray to a burst of sunlight, though a manta ray logo still appears on the uniform sleeves. In 2008, the Rays achieved their first winning season, first AL East title, and first American League pennant by beating the rival Boston Red Sox in the ALCS, but they lost the World Series to the Philadelphia Phillies. Since then, they have made the postseason in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2019, and 2020, reaching the World Series again in 2020.
**Before 1998: Getting a team** After the franchise was awarded in 1995, the Devil Rays began building their organization by hiring Chuck LaMar, a former assistant general manager for the Atlanta Braves, as senior vice president of baseball operations and general manager. Their first minor league games were played in 1996. On November 7, 1997, Larry Rothschild was named the team’s first manager. In the Expansion Draft on November 18, 1997, they selected 35 players, with Tony Saunders from the Florida Marlins being their first pick. They also drafted future star Bobby Abreu but traded him to the Philadelphia Phillies for Kevin Stocker, who had little success with the Rays. Before the 1998 season, they acquired veteran stars Wade Boggs, Fred McGriff, and Wilson Álvarez.
**1998–2003: Early years as the Devil Rays** The Devil Rays played their first game on March 31, 1998, against the Detroit Tigers at Tropicana Field in front of 45,369 fans. Wilson Álvarez threw the first pitch, and Wade Boggs hit the first home run in team history. They lost the opener 11–6 but started well, going 11–8 after 19 games before losing six straight and falling below .500, even
- founded
- 1995 (franchise awarded March 9, 1995)
- first_season
- 1998
- home_venue
- Tropicana Field
- division
- American League East
- original_name
- Tampa Bay Devil Rays
- name_change
- 2008 (shortened to Rays)
- world_series_appearances
- 2008, 2020
Lore & Background
The team's first decade was marked by futility, finishing last in the AL East in all but the 2004 season, when they finished second to last. After the 2007 season, Stuart Sternberg, who had purchased controlling interest from Vince Naimoli two years earlier, shortened the team's name from 'Devil Rays' to 'Rays,' now meant to primarily refer to a burst of sunshine rather than a manta ray, though a manta ray logo remains on the uniform sleeves. The 2008 season saw the Rays post their first winning season, first AL East championship, and first American League pennant, defeating the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS, though they lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series.
Reader's Guide
The Tampa Bay Rays represent a franchise that overcame a decade of last-place finishes to achieve its first winning season and AL East championship in 2008, reaching the World Series that year and again in 2020. The team's early years as the Devil Rays were characterized by high draft picks and veteran acquisitions that failed to produce sustained success, leading to a complete front-office overhaul after the 2005 season under new owner Stuart Sternberg. The name change in 2008 coincided with a dramatic turnaround, and the franchise has since made postseason appearances in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2019, and 2020. The team's history includes notable moments such as Wade Boggs's 3000th hit in 1999 and an unusual 2–6–2 triple play in 2006. The Rays' significance lies in their transformation from a perennial loser to a competitive force in the AL East, despite playing in a market that initially struggled to attract a team.
Did You Know?
- The Devil Rays turned the first 2–6–2 triple play in Tampa Bay history on July 17, 2005, but it was not the first in MLB history—the Chicago White Sox had turned one earlier on May 31, 2006.
More in History of Major League Baseball by team 1-24
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