The once and possibly future home of the Tampa Bay Rays will get a new roof to replace the one shredded by Hurricane Milton with the goal of having the ballpark ready for the 2026 season, city officials decided in a vote Thursday.

The St. Petersburg City Council voted 7-1 to approve $22.5 million to begin the repairs at Tropicana Field, which will start with a membrane roof that must be in place before other work can continue. Although the Rays pulled out of a planned $1.3 billion new stadium deal, the city is still contractually obligated to fix the Trop.

“We are legally bound by an agreement. The agreement requires us to fix the stadium,” said council member Lissett Hanewicz, who is an attorney. “We need to go forward with the roof repair so we can do the other repairs.”

The hurricane damage led the Rays to play home games this season at Steinbrenner Field across the bay in Tampa, the spring training home of the New York Yankees. The Rays went 4-2 on their first homestand ever at an open-air ballpark, which seats around 11,000 fans.

Under the current agreement with the city, the Rays owe three more seasons at the Trop once it’s ready again for baseball, through 2028. It’s unclear if the Rays will maintain a long-term commitment to the city or look to Tampa or someplace else for a new stadium. Major League Baseball has said keeping the team in the Tampa Bay region is a priority. The Rays had played at the Trop since their inception in 1998.

“We are pleased to see City Council take this important step toward preparing Tropicana Field for Major League Baseball in time for 2026 opening day,” Rays co-president Brian Auld said in a statement. “We commend in particular city, Rays and MLB staff for their cooperative efforts to get us to this point.”

The overall cost of Tropicana Field repairs is estimated at $56 million, said city architect Raul Quintana. After the roof, the work includes fixing the playing surface, ensuring audio and visual electronics are working, installing flooring and drywall, getting concession stands running and other issues.

Gardner’s son died of CO poisoning

Carbon monoxide poisoning was the cause of death of the teenage son of former New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner, authorities in Costa Rica confirmed Wednesday night.

Randall Zúñiga, director of the Judicial Investigation Agency, said they tested the 14-year-old Miller Gardner for carboxyhemoglobin, a compound generated when carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin in the blood.

When carboxyhemoglobin saturation exceeds 50%, it is considered lethal. In Gardner’s case, the test showed a saturation of 64%.

The head of the Costa Rican judicial police added that, during the autopsy, a “layer” was detected on the young man’s organs, which forms when there is a high presence of the poisonous gas.

Miller Gardner died on March 21 while staying with his family at a hotel on the Manuel Antonio beach in Costa Rica’s Central Pacific.

Whitmore trying to make history in Mexico

Two-way player Kelsie Whitmore was invited for a tryout with the Aguila de Veracruz, where she will try to become the first woman to play in the Mexican Baseball League, the club announced Thursday.

The 26-year-old Whitmore is a pitcher and an outfielder who was the first female player in an MLB partnered league while suiting up for the Staten Island FerryHawks in the Atlantic League in 2022.

Briefly

Dodgers >> Freddie Freeman’s fall landed him on the injured list. The Los Angeles Dodgers placed their star slugger on the 10-day IL on Thursday after the World Series MVP sprained his surgically repaired right ankle in a slip in the shower at home last weekend.

Orioles >> Star shortstop Gunnar Henderson is expected to return to the Baltimore Orioles on Friday at Kansas City after missing the start of the season with a right intercostal strain.

Yankees >> Aaron Judge became the third-fastest New York Yankees player to reach 500 extra-base hits with a three-run homer on Thursday night, trailing only Joe DiMaggio and Lou Gehrig.

Yankees >> Clarke Schmidt is on track to make his New York Yankees season debut on April 15 or 16 against the Kansas City Royals. Schmidt is recovering from right rotator cuff tendinitis and set to start Saturday for Double-A Somerset at Hartford.