Tampa Bay Rays 2026 Season Schedule: Printable PDF Download
The Tampa Bay Rays are ready to make waves in 2026 with an action-packed schedule featuring divisional rivalries, interleague matchups, and plenty of home games at Tropicana Field. Whether you’re a die-hard Rays fan planning your season or just looking to catch a few games, this complete breakdown covers everything you need to know about the upcoming season. From opening day road trips to crucial September showdowns, we’ve got every game, every opponent, and every key matchup highlighted. Plus, you can download a printable PDF version of this schedule to keep handy throughout the season.
March 2026: Season Opener on the Road
The Rays kick off their 2026 campaign away from home, starting with a three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals from March 26, 28, and 29. It’s always exciting to see how the team looks coming out of spring training, and facing a National League opponent right away adds an interesting wrinkle to the season opener.
After wrapping up in St. Louis, Tampa Bay heads north to Milwaukee for a series against the Brewers from March 30-31, extending into early April. These opening road games will test the Rays’ early-season form and set the tone for what fans hope will be a competitive year.
March Highlight: Opening Day on March 26 against the Cardinals marks the official start of Rays baseball, and fans will be watching closely to see which pitchers get the ball for those crucial first starts.
Date | VS. | Home/Away |
---|---|---|
Mar 26 Thu | Cardinals | Away |
Mar 28 Sat | Cardinals | Away |
Mar 29 Sun | Cardinals | Away |
Mar 30 Mon | Brewers | Away |
Mar 31 Tue | Brewers | Away |
April 2026: Home Opener & AL East Battles Begin
April brings the home opener on April 6 when the Chicago Cubs visit Tropicana Field for a three-game set. There’s nothing quite like the energy of that first home game, with fans eager to welcome their team back to Tampa Bay.
The month features significant matchups, including a highly anticipated series against the New York Yankees from April 10-12. These games are always intense, as the Yankees rivalry brings out the best in both teams.
Road trips to Chicago (White Sox) and Pittsburgh round out a busy April schedule, while the Reds visit Tampa Bay for a midweek series. The month closes with a crucial series at Cleveland against the Guardians.
April Highlight: The Yankees series at home (April 10-12) will likely draw the biggest crowds of the month, as these AL East showdowns often have playoff implications even this early in the season.
Date | VS. | Home/Away |
---|---|---|
Apr 1 Wed | Brewers | Away |
Apr 3 Fri | Twins | Away |
Apr 4 Sat | Twins | Away |
Apr 5 Sun | Twins | Away |
Apr 6 Mon | Cubs | Home |
Apr 7 Tue | Cubs | Home |
Apr 8 Wed | Cubs | Home |
Apr 10 Fri | Yankees | Home |
Apr 11 Sat | Yankees | Home |
Apr 12 Sun | Yankees | Home |
Apr 14 Tue | White Sox | Away |
Apr 15 Wed | White Sox | Away |
Apr 16 Thu | White Sox | Away |
Apr 17 Fri | Pirates | Away |
Apr 18 Sat | Pirates | Away |
Apr 19 Sun | Pirates | Away |
Apr 20 Mon | Reds | Home |
Apr 21 Tue | Reds | Home |
Apr 22 Wed | Reds | Home |
Apr 24 Fri | Twins | Home |
Apr 25 Sat | Twins | Home |
Apr 26 Sun | Twins | Home |
Apr 27 Mon | Guardians | Away |
Apr 28 Tue | Guardians | Away |
Apr 29 Wed | Guardians | Away |
May 2026: Interleague Play & Division Showdowns
May is packed with 31 games, including exciting interleague matchups. The Giants series runs May 1-3. The Blue Jays visit for a three-game series May 4-6. This forms a six-game homestand that wraps up on May 6.
The Rays face significant division tests against the Baltimore Orioles (both home and away), Red Sox (four games in Boston), and Blue Jays (three games in Toronto). The month concludes with the Los Angeles Angels visiting for a three-game weekend series starting May 29.
May Highlight: The back-to-back series against divisional rivals—Orioles at home (May 18-20) followed by Yankees in New York (May 22-24)—could provide early indicators of how the AL East race will shape up.
Date | VS. | Home/Away |
---|---|---|
May 1 Fri | Giants | Home |
May 2 Sat | Giants | Home |
May 3 Sun | Giants | Home |
May 4 Mon | Blue Jays | Home |
May 5 Tue | Blue Jays | Home |
May 6 Wed | Blue Jays | Home |
May 7 Thu | Red Sox | Away |
May 8 Fri | Red Sox | Away |
May 9 Sat | Red Sox | Away |
May 10 Sun | Red Sox | Away |
May 11 Mon | Blue Jays | Away |
May 12 Tue | Blue Jays | Away |
May 13 Wed | Blue Jays | Away |
May 15 Fri | Marlins | Home |
May 16 Sat | Marlins | Home |
May 17 Sun | Marlins | Home |
May 18 Mon | Orioles | Home |
May 19 Tue | Orioles | Home |
May 20 Wed | Orioles | Home |
May 22 Fri | Yankees | Away |
May 23 Sat | Yankees | Away |
May 24 Sun | Yankees | Away |
May 25 Mon | Orioles | Away |
May 26 Tue | Orioles | Away |
May 27 Wed | Orioles | Away |
May 29 Fri | Angels | Home |
May 30 Sat | Angels | Home |
May 31 Sun | Angels | Home |
June 2026: West Coast Swing & Special Events
June features some of the season’s most geographically diverse matchups. The month starts with the Detroit Tigers visiting Tampa Bay, including a special Lou Gehrig Day game on June 2, which honors the baseball legend and raises awareness for ALS.
The Rays then embark on a challenging West Coast road trip, facing the Angels in Anaheim (June 12-14) before heading to Los Angeles for a three-game set against the powerhouse Dodgers (June 15-17). These interleague games against last season’s top teams will test Tampa Bay’s mettle.
Back home, the Rays host the Washington Nationals and enjoy an extended homestand featuring the Kansas City Royals (four games from June 22-25) and Arizona Diamondbacks. The month wraps with the start of a series at Kansas City.
June Highlight: The Dodgers series (June 15-17) offers fans a chance to see some of baseball’s biggest stars in action and represents a measuring stick for how the Rays stack up against elite competition.
Date | VS. | Home/Away |
---|---|---|
Jun 1 Mon | Tigers | Home |
Jun 2 Tue | Tigers (Lou Gehrig Day) | Home |
Jun 3 Wed | Tigers | Home |
Jun 5 Fri | Marlins | Away |
Jun 6 Sat | Marlins | Away |
Jun 7 Sun | Marlins | Away |
Jun 8 Mon | Red Sox | Home |
Jun 9 Tue | Red Sox | Home |
Jun 10 Wed | Red Sox | Home |
Jun 12 Fri | Angels | Away |
Jun 13 Sat | Angels | Away |
Jun 14 Sun | Angels | Away |
Jun 15 Mon | Dodgers | Away |
Jun 16 Tue | Dodgers | Away |
Jun 17 Wed | Dodgers | Away |
Jun 19 Fri | Nationals | Home |
Jun 20 Sat | Nationals | Home |
Jun 21 Sun | Nationals | Home |
Jun 22 Mon | Royals | Home |
Jun 23 Tue | Royals | Home |
Jun 24 Wed | Royals | Home |
Jun 25 Thu | Royals | Home |
Jun 26 Fri | D-backs | Home |
Jun 27 Sat | D-backs | Home |
Jun 28 Sun | D-backs | Home |
Jun 30 Tue | Royals | Away |
July 2026: All-Star Break & Playoff Push Begins
July is a pivotal month, featuring the All-Star break and crucial games as teams position themselves for the second half. The month starts with games at Kansas City and Houston before a massive four-game home series against the Yankees from July 6-9. These July matchups with New York often carry significant weight in the standings.
The Seattle Mariners visit Tampa Bay for a three-game weekend series (July 10-12) before the All-Star break. The 96th MLB All-Star Game takes place on July 14 in Philadelphia, giving players and fans a brief respite before the playoff push begins.
Post-All-Star action resumes with a four-game road series in Boston, followed by another four games in Toronto. The Rays return home for a homestand featuring the Guardians, Rangers, and White Sox to close out the month.
July Highlight: The four-game Yankees series (July 6-9) right before the All-Star break could define the first-half narrative for both teams and potentially feature multiple Rays All-Star selections.
Date | VS. | Home/Away |
---|---|---|
Jul 1 Wed | Royals | Away |
Jul 2 Thu | Royals | Away |
Jul 3 Fri | Astros | Away |
Jul 4 Sat | Astros | Away |
Jul 5 Sun | Astros | Away |
Jul 6 Mon | Yankees | Home |
Jul 7 Tue | Yankees | Home |
Jul 8 Wed | Yankees | Home |
Jul 9 Thu | Yankees | Home |
Jul 10 Fri | Mariners | Home |
Jul 11 Sat | Mariners | Home |
Jul 12 Sun | Mariners | Home |
Jul 14 Tue | AL All-Stars @ NL All-Stars (96th All-Star Game, Philadelphia, PA) | Neutral |
Jul 17 Fri | Red Sox | Away |
Jul 18 Sat | Red Sox | Away |
Jul 19 Sun | Red Sox | Away |
Jul 20 Mon | Blue Jays | Away |
Jul 21 Tue | Blue Jays | Away |
Jul 22 Wed | Blue Jays | Away |
Jul 23 Thu | Blue Jays | Away |
Jul 24 Fri | Guardians | Home |
Jul 25 Sat | Guardians | Home |
Jul 26 Sun | Guardians | Home |
Jul 28 Tue | Rangers | Home |
Jul 29 Wed | Rangers | Home |
Jul 30 Thu | Rangers | Home |
Jul 31 Fri | White Sox | Home |
August 2026: Crucial Road Trip & Division Gauntlet
August features significant travel, starting with a long West Coast road trip. The Rays visit Colorado, Seattle, and Oakland in succession—a grueling nine-game swing that tests any team’s depth and resilience.
Returning home, Tampa Bay faces a critical stretch against AL East competition. The Orioles visit for a four-game series (August 14-17), followed by the Blue Jays for three games. The month features two separate series against Baltimore, including a road trip from August 21-23.
The Rays also host interleague opponents including the San Diego Padres (August 28-30) and start a series against the New York Mets that extends into September.
August Highlight: The back-to-back Orioles series—first at home (four games) then on the road (three games)—represents a crucial eight-day stretch against a fellow AL East contender that could significantly impact playoff positioning.
Date | VS. | Home/Away |
---|---|---|
Aug 1 Sat | White Sox | Home |
Aug 2 Sun | White Sox | Home |
Aug 3 Mon | Rockies | Away |
Aug 4 Tue | Rockies | Away |
Aug 5 Wed | Rockies | Away |
Aug 7 Fri | Mariners | Away |
Aug 8 Sat | Mariners | Away |
Aug 9 Sun | Mariners | Away |
Aug 10 Mon | Athletics | Away |
Aug 11 Tue | Athletics | Away |
Aug 12 Wed | Athletics | Away |
Aug 14 Fri | Orioles | Home |
Aug 15 Sat | Orioles | Home |
Aug 16 Sun | Orioles | Home |
Aug 17 Mon | Orioles | Home |
Aug 18 Tue | Blue Jays | Home |
Aug 19 Wed | Blue Jays | Home |
Aug 20 Thu | Blue Jays | Home |
Aug 21 Fri | Orioles | Away |
Aug 22 Sat | Orioles | Away |
Aug 23 Sun | Orioles | Away |
Aug 24 Mon | Tigers | Away |
Aug 25 Tue | Tigers | Away |
Aug 26 Wed | Tigers | Away |
Aug 28 Fri | Padres | Home |
Aug 29 Sat | Padres | Home |
Aug 30 Sun | Padres | Home |
Aug 31 Mon | Mets | Home |
September 2026: Final Push to October
September is where playoff dreams are either realized or dashed. The Rays face several must-win situations, starting with the conclusion of their Mets series and a four-game road trip to face the Texas Rangers.
A tough three-game series at Atlanta against the Braves (September 8-10) provides a National League challenge before the Rays return home for a critical nine-game homestand. The Houston Astros, Oakland Athletics, and Boston Red Sox all visit Tampa Bay during this stretch.
The season concludes with potentially decisive games: a three-game series at Yankee Stadium (September 22-24) followed by a season-ending road trip to Philadelphia to face the Phillies (September 25-27).
September Highlight: The Yankees series in New York (September 22-24) could be the season’s most important series, potentially determining playoff seeding or even who makes the postseason from the stacked AL East.
Date | VS. | Home/Away |
---|---|---|
Sep 1 Tue | Mets | Home |
Sep 2 Wed | Mets | Home |
Sep 3 Thu | Rangers | Away |
Sep 4 Fri | Rangers | Away |
Sep 5 Sat | Rangers | Away |
Sep 6 Sun | Rangers | Away |
Sep 8 Tue | Braves | Away |
Sep 9 Wed | Braves | Away |
Sep 10 Thu | Braves | Away |
Sep 11 Fri | Astros | Home |
Sep 12 Sat | Astros | Home |
Sep 13 Sun | Astros | Home |
Sep 15 Tue | Athletics | Home |
Sep 16 Wed | Athletics | Home |
Sep 17 Thu | Athletics | Home |
Sep 18 Fri | Red Sox | Home |
Sep 19 Sat | Red Sox | Home |
Sep 20 Sun | Red Sox | Home |
Sep 22 Tue | Yankees | Away |
Sep 23 Wed | Yankees | Away |
Sep 24 Thu | Yankees | Away |
Sep 25 Fri | Phillies | Away |
Sep 26 Sat | Phillies | Away |
Sep 27 Sun | Phillies | Away |
Looking Ahead: Download Your Printable 2026 Rays Schedule
With 162 games spread across seven months, keeping track of the Tampa Bay Rays schedule requires planning. Whether you’re organizing group outings, planning family trips to Tropicana Field, or just want to know when your favorite team plays, having a printable schedule is essential.
Fans can find downloadable PDF versions of the complete schedule, including game times and broadcast information, on the official Tampa Bay Rays website and various sports schedule sites. Mark your calendars for key rivalry games, weekend series, and special promotional nights at the ballpark.
The 2026 season promises excitement, competition, and plenty of memorable moments for Rays fans. From March’s opening pitch to September’s final games, every series matters in baseball’s most competitive division.
Read more: Cleveland Guardians 2026 Season Schedule: Printable PDF Download
Conclusion
The Tampa Bay Rays 2026 schedule offers everything fans could want: exciting divisional matchups, intriguing interleague play, and crucial late-season games that could determine playoff fate. With 81 home games at Tropicana Field and road trips to iconic ballparks across the country, this season promises unforgettable baseball moments.
The schedule’s structure—with multiple series against AL East rivals and strategic interleague matchups—will challenge the Rays throughout the year. Success in April and May could build momentum, while surviving the August grind and finishing strong in September will be essential for postseason aspirations.
Whether you’re planning to attend games in person, following along from home, or tracking the season through your favorite sports app, having this schedule breakdown helps you stay connected to every pitch. Don’t forget to download a printable version to keep handy, and get ready for what promises to be another thrilling season of Rays baseball.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the Tampa Bay Rays 2026 season start?
The Rays begin their 2026 season on Thursday, March 26, with a road game against the St. Louis Cardinals. This opening day matchup starts a three-game series in St. Louis before the team heads to Milwaukee to face the Brewers.
When is the Tampa Bay Rays 2026 home opener?
The home opener at Tropicana Field is scheduled for Monday, April 6, 2026, against the Chicago Cubs. This three-game series marks the first chance for fans to see their team at home after the opening road trip.
How many times do the Rays play the Yankees in 2026?
The Rays face their AL East rivals, the New York Yankees, multiple times throughout the 2026 season, including series in April (home), May (away), July (home and away), and September (away). These matchups are always highly competitive and often impact playoff standings.
Where can I download a printable Tampa Bay Rays 2026 schedule PDF?
Printable PDF versions of the complete Rays schedule are available on the official Tampa Bay Rays website (raysbaseball.com) and through MLB.com. These downloadable schedules include game times, opponents, and home/away designations for easy reference throughout the season.
What are the key series to watch in the 2026 Rays schedule?
Must-watch series include the Yankees matchups (April, May, July, and September), Orioles series (May and August), the Dodgers interleague series in June, and the season-ending series against the Yankees in late September. These games will likely have significant playoff implications.
Does the 2026 schedule include any special event games?
Yes, the schedule includes Lou Gehrig Day on Tuesday, June 2, when the Rays host the Detroit Tigers. This annual event raises awareness and funds for ALS research while honoring Lou Gehrig’s legacy. The 96th MLB All-Star Game is scheduled for July 14 in Philadelphia.
How many home games do the Rays have in 2026?
The Tampa Bay Rays will play 81 home games at Tropicana Field during the 2026 regular season, with 81 road games for a total of 162 games. The schedule is balanced between home and away contests throughout the seven-month season.