The Yankees’ spring training home opener at Steinbrenner Field on Saturday was a victory for the team, but the day stunk for everyone else as a sewage-draining pipe became blocked just outside the ballpark and leaked around the facility.
According to Yahoo Sports, the dirty liquid pooled around the Tampa, Fla., ballpark entrances and exits, leaked into the first floor of the team store, and saturated the carpets outside clubhouse bathrooms.
“It’s Spring Training for the toilets, too,” a club spokesperson said.
Visitors to Steinbrenner Field were directed around the remaining pools of sewage and portions of the team store were closed to prevent contact with the mess.
“I was surprised at how much they were able to get things cleaned up and sanitized,” said Yankees’ manager Aaron Boone. “Credit to a lot of people that put in a lot of hours overnight into this morning. Moving forward, we’ve got some longer-term things that have got to get fixed, but we should be in a good spot.”
Related: How the Rays Will Transform Yankees’ Spring Training Facility Into Home Field in 120 Hours
According to MLB News, a two-year-long renovation project was just completed at Steinbrenner Field last spring, shortly before the Tampa Bay Rays used the ballpark for 81 home games while the roof at Tropicana Field was repaired.
The renovation included upgrades to the clubhouse, new training and recovery facilities, and fan-facing activations like an outdoor dining patio. It is unclear if the sewage blockage was related to recent renovation work at the facility.
“One of the things I talked to some of our guys about was the attitude of everyone,” Boone said. “It throws your routine a little bit off. Everyone handled it really well, walking through it with a smile, with energy. No complaining. I thought we got really good work in, so I’m happy with that.”
