Ryan Pepiot of the Tampa Bay Rays is particularly pleased about the team’s return to Tropicana Field this season. After spending the previous year at George M. Steinbrenner Field, Pepiot is eager to play under the roof at Tropicana Field. He appreciates the consistent 72-degree temperature, regardless of the weather outside.
Pepiot’s fondness for the Rays’ home dome is one way he has come to embrace the Tampa Bay area, the city of St. Petersburg, the Rays and their supporters. He is entering his third season with the team.
From Spring Break Visit to Year-Round Resident
Pepiot had no prior connection to the Tampa Bay area before being traded to the Rays with Jonny DeLuca from the Dodgers in December 2023 for Tyler Glasnow. He had previously visited the Tampa Bay area for spring break in high school, including attending a game at Tropicana Field. Before the trade, Pepiot was born and raised in Indiana, attended college at Butler, debuted for Los Angeles and spent his winters in Arizona near the Dodgers’ Spring Training complex.
Following the trade, Pepiot and his wife, Lilia, considered where to live. They initially planned to rent in St. Petersburg while keeping their place in Arizona, thinking maintaining three residences would be impractical.
However, after spending a short time in St. Petersburg, his wife decided they could move there.
Embracing the St. Petersburg Lifestyle
After Pepiot’s first season with the Rays, they bought a condo near the waterfront in downtown St. Pete. It’s now their year-round home and features a view of Tropicana Field.
“I love St. Pete. I feel like I wake up on vacation every single day, and I get to work in the vacation spot,” Pepiot said. “There’s something therapeutic about the water every day. Being able to walk downtown and hit all my coffee shops, hit all my lunch spots and my dinner spots. I have my places where people know who I am, and they say hi.”
Pepiot also noted, “The people are just nice. And there’s just so many good causes around the area to support. I know how much people have given to the Rays, and I want to give back to them.”
Becoming a Public Figure and Reliable Player
Pepiot has become a public-facing representative of the team. He has also established himself as a reliable source of quality innings in the starting rotation.
“I try to do everything,” he said. “In the offseason, they always ask, ‘Hey, would you d–’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, I’m there.’”
- Pepiot represented the Rays alongside David Price at the Capital One MLB Open in November.
- He co-hosted an entire event in January.
Pepiot is enthusiastic about giving back to the Rays’ fans.