The Tampa Bay Rays have responded to their home Tropicana Field being decimated by Hurricane Milton when the roof was torn to shreds Wednesday night.

Videos and photos went viral on social media as pieces of the roof flapped in the damaging winds and it was clear the top of the dome was wide open.

The Rays noted in a statement that it could take several weeks to assess how much damage was done to the field.

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Tropicana Field the morning after Hurricane Milton hit the region, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Florida. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

“In the coming days and weeks, we expect to be able to assess the true condition of Tropicana Field,” the team said Thursday. “In the meantime, we are working with law enforcement to secure the building. We ask for your patience at this time and encourage those who can to donate to organizations in our community that are helping those directly affected by these storms.”

The team noted that no injuries were reported when the storm damaged the stadium.

“The Trop” had a small number of “essential personnel” who were in the field at the time the roof was blown apart.

ROOF OF TROPICANA FIELD, HOUSING MLB’S TAMPA BAY RAYS, TORN OPEN BY HURRICANE MILTON

Before the hurricane made landfall, the Rays announced they were working with state and local emergency management partners to support debris removal efforts, using Tropicana Field space for lineman and first responders preparing for storm recovery.

However, according to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, those plans changed after the forecast led many to believe the roof would not be able to withstand the wind. They were right.

“They have been moved,” DeSantis said Thursday morning. “Tropicana Field is a routine gathering place for this kind of thing. The roof on that… I think it’s going 110 miles per hour and so the forecast changes, but when it became clear that there was going to be something of that size that within the distance, they moved them from Tropicana. There were no state resources within Tropicana Field.”

The team noted that no injuries were reported when the storm damaged the stadium. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

The Rays say the roof is built to withstand winds of up to 115 mph, but now there are a lot of questions about what the MLB franchise will do from here.

Tampa Bay is not expected to use the field for games until March 27, opening day of 2025 against the Colorado Rockies.

The Rays, home of the team since 1998 during its inaugural season, recently received approval from the St. Petersburg City Council and the Pinellas County Commission to build a new stadium in the historic Gas Plant District. More than $6 billion is expected to be invested in the St. Petersburg region over 20 years, although the field is expected to take place on opening day in 2028.

In addition to the Rays, the Tampa Bay Lightning are postponing their home opener as the new NHL campaign begins. They were expected to meet the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday, but the league announced a postponement due to recovery efforts.

The Rays noted in a statement that it could take several weeks to assess how much damage was done to the field. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

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Hurricane Milton is the second system to rip through the Tampa Bay area, as Hurricane Helene pounded Florida’s Gulf Coast, killing at least 230 people.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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