Former Toronto Blue Jays Pitcher Discusses Team's Difficulties With Tropicana Field

· Yahoo Sports

The Toronto Blue Jays unexpected struggles this season continued in a venue that has not been kind to the defending American League champions over the last several seasons.

The Blue Jays were swept in a three-game series by their American League East rivals, the Tampa Bay Rays, earlier this week. The series took place from May 4-6 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. The trio of losses gave Toronto a 16-21 record on the season, placing the club at fourth place in the division.

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Tampa Bay is currently having the opposite fortunes and are second in the division with a 25-12 record.

The series sweep also continued a string of bad luck the Blue Jays have had while playing at the Rays' home field.

Dating back to 2024, Toronto has lost six-straight games at Tropicana Field. There were no games played at the ballpark in 2025 due to Tampa Bay playing at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., due to Tropicana Field being repaired from damage suffered in a hurricane.

When that stretch is expanded, the Blue Jays have lost eight of their last nine games at Tampa Bay's home field.

Toronto's struggles at Tropicana Field could be a string of recent bad luck, but apparently past players have felt the negative impact of the field as well.

"It's just something about that field, that turf," Ricky Romero said on the Blue Bird Territory podcast. "The mound was always nice. I did enjoy pitching there. Always some tough lineups. ... There's just something about the energy level there. Doesn't feel right. You go to any other big league stadium ... this does not feel like going to New York. And this is a team that's in first place, fighting for first place with the New York Yankees and they still don't get fans.

Romero pitched for the Blue Jays from 2009-13 and made the All-Star Game in 2011. His five seasons with Toronto comprised his entire major league career, making the Rays one of the most common teams he faced and Tropicana Field one of the most oft-visited fields on road trips for him.

Romero had a 1-5 record across 10 career starts at Tropicana Field. He posted a 5.79 ERA and struck out 35 hitters in 52.2 innings pitched.

The Blue Jays will return to Tropicana Field for a three-game series against Tampa Bay from Aug. 18-20.

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