MLB Stadiums, Ranked!
Well, not 1-30, but put in their own tiers. Let's go
By now I can’t believe I hadn’t done a ranking or anything of all the Major League Stadiums. After our road trip to every stadium in the summer of 2006, I was obsessed with ranking them. I’d sit through lectures in college and doodle out lists while trying not to fall asleep learning about economics and the elasticity of demand.
Instead of a direct ranking, for me it’ll be easier to put all the stadiums into tiers, from the elite to the dilapidated. There will be two unranked tiers as well, one for the stadiums I haven’t seen and one for the stadiums I have, but are no longer in use. So, here we go:
Tier I - The Best of the Best
When anyone asks what the best stadium in baseball is, these are the three I usually pick from, depending on what the person asking might like most.
Oracle Park, Home of the Giants, San Francisco, CA. Opened 2000. Formerly named Pacific Bell Park, SBC Park, and AT&T Park
This is the best ballpark in baseball, hands down. It has everything. There is no bad seat in the ballpark, nor around it, if you want to bob around in a kayak in McCovey Cove for 9 innings. The views of San Francisco Bay from the upper levels, set against the beautifully designed scoreboard and old-school light towers are unmatched. The quirks of the field like the McCovey Cove home run splash counter, Triples Alley, that funky little Chevron wall ad in left field that has robbed several home runs with its 2 extra feet in height. And the history. For a stadium opened this millennium, it has seen a lot already. Four World Series, an All-Star game, Barry Bonds’ 73-home run season, and several no-hitters and Matt Cain’s perfect game.
Wrigley Field, Home of the Cubs, Chicago, IL. Opened 1914. Formerly named Weegham Park, Cubs Park.
This is the ballpark that represents everything that is right about baseball and summer. I always recommend it to anyone who wants to just enjoy a baseball game in a relaxed atmosphere. This park is the baseball equivalent of tubing down a lazy river with friends and packed coolers. There are bars and activity all around the park for pre- and post-game fun. The majority of home games are played under the Midwestern blue skies of Chicago, with the old-school architecture dotting the skyline behind the iconic hand-operated scoreboard that flies the ‘W’ after each win. The ivy growing each year and the basket that catches wall-scrapers in front of the sun-soaked, beer-saturated bleacher crowd make a game at Wrigley feel like being in a city park on a beautiful day with everyone having a good time.
Fenway Park, Home of the Red Sox, Boston, MA. Opened 1912.
The amount of history in this park holds is incredible. It’d take more than one visit to capture even part of it. Pretty much the last remaining stadium from an era when ballparks were fit into the city layout, all the quirky dimensions have made for many memories over the years. Even today, you can still see something no one’s ever seen before, like this ball hit into the Green Monster. The history of over 100 seasons of Red Sox baseball is something you can just feel. Carl Yastrzemski, Ted Williams, Jimmie Foxx and Lefty Grove all called the park home, just as David Ortiz, Pedro Martinez, Kevin Youkilis and Jason Varitek did decades later. Babe Ruth hit 49 home runs in this park in the 1920s and 1930s, before the world even knew we’d have a second World War. The seats are cramped and the views can be obstructed, but if you can get through 3 hours without the comfort of a corporate suite, you’ll love every pitch you see here.
Tier II - Must-Visit Ballparks
The next tier are the ballparks every baseball fan should try to hit up at least once, whether on a random business trip or just going on a road trip to see your favorite team when they visit. These are all the best baseball stadiums in the game, they just sit a tier below the special status afforded the Tier I standouts.
Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Home of the Orioles, Baltimore, MD. Opened 1992.
This is one of my favorite parks visually. The giant brick warehouse building on Eutaw Street is iconic. And the park just looks great everywhere, there are good seats at any level. The activity on Eutaw Street is worth checking out and heading down early to hang out in the Inner Harbor is worth the time.
Coors Field, Home of the Rockies, Denver, CO. Opened 1995.
Over the past 15 seasons, the Rockies are 8th in baseball, averaging over 2.5 million fans per season. This in spite of a team that finished in last place or fourth place in 10 of those seasons. The park is beautiful, especially for evening games to see the sun set against the Rockies out past left field. The restaurant and bar scene around the stadium is fantastic and even with the lack of results, the games at Coors Field are always entertaining.
Dodger Stadium, Home of the Dodgers, Los Angeles, CA. Opened 1962.
This is another park with a rich baseball history. The third oldest stadium in baseball has seen it all, and with the added benefit of being narrated by Vin Scully. Dodger Stadium is California. Built on a hill, with a sprawling parking lot and gnarly traffic at game time, the towering, brightly colored stadium levels and palm trees adorning the backdrop, with probably the most diverse fan base in the game, it’s a must-see for the vibes and the experience. Just don’t get there late, games move fast these days.
Great American Ballpark, Home of the Reds, Cincinnati, OH. Opened 2003.
This is my favorite stadium of the current generation. The daytime views across the Ohio River into the green, rolling hills of Kentucky are beautiful and the centerfield smokestacks, recalling the steamboats of a mostly bygone era, add to the Midwestern charm. The red seats and white steel look great when framing a lush green field, too.
PETCO Park, Home of the Padres, San Diego, CA. Opened 2004.
A perpetual top 5 park since it opened, it’s the perfect modern ballpark. There is plenty to do before games around the park. There is plenty to do during games if you can’t watch, with the Park in the Park out past center field for the kids. The endless perfect weather means you’ll always have a comfy seat and be able to kick back in flip flops for an evening and count the throwback Tony Gwynn jerseys in the crowd.
PNC Park, Home of the Pirates, Pittsburgh, PA. Opened 2001.
After Oracle, this is the most stunning skyline view in baseball, with the Roberto Clemente Bridge standing out with its bright yellow paint, and across the Allegheny River you can see the classic old-school Pittsburgh architecture.
T-Mobile Park, Home of the Mariners, Seattle, WA. Opened 1999. Formerly named SAFECO Field.
My favorite retractable roof park, T-Mobile is one of the prettiest stadiums and offers views of Mt Rainier and the Space Needle from various parts of the park. The local food offerings are always unique and the crowd is relaxed but into the game. Definitely worth a visit to the PNW for a game or two.
Tier III - Good, but not great, ballparks
American Family Field, Home of the Brewers, Milwaukee, WI. Opened 2001. Formerly named Miller Park.
This is a nice park, with good views from any seat as well as a great (probably the greatest) tailgate in the game.
Angel Stadium, Home of the Angels, Anaheim, CA. Opened 1966. Formerly named Edison International Field.
An older park that has had upgrades to keep up with the times, it’s got cool things like the giant scoreboard in right field, the rock pile that Mike Trout has peppered for a decade and as of 2019, they still have the Rally Monkey (will confirm later this month if he’s still employed, or if he got put on waivers, too).
Busch Stadium, Home of the Cardinals, St. Louis, MO. Opened 2006.
This a lovely ballpark but just doesn’t have that extra quality to push it up a tier. It has things like the landmark skyline view of the Gateway Arch, and lovely brick construction. But when this one opened, it felt like yet another “Retro-Modern” paint-by-numbers replacement for the cookie cutter scourge of the 70’s. It’s like a house built in 2005, it works and looks nice, but just doesn’t have any charm.
Citi Field, Home of the Mets, New York, NY. Opened 2009.
Another fine stadium, it just feels like it’s got too much going on. The big scoreboards and towering upper deck feel a little claustrophobic. The exterior nod to Ebbets Field is well done, but the interior feels like a corporate advertiser’s dream with so much billboard space and distraction away from the on-field product.
Citizens Bank Park, Home of the Phillies, Philadelphia, PA. Opened 2004.
Much like the new Busch Stadium, it feels pretty copy-paste as far as modern parks go. You’ve got the nod to the city with the LED Liberty Bell, and the nod to the team’s past with Ashburn Alley.
Comerica Park, Home of the Tigers, Detroit, MI. Opened 2000.
Whenever I think of Detroit, I either think of the Red Wings, or this stadium. And it just feels like a perfect Detroit park and apt replacement for Tiger Stadium. It’s cavernous, feels dark and looks like something built in the 40’s but with modern electricity. A fun place to watch a game, just doesn’t feel too inviting.
Kauffman Stadium, Home of the Royals, Kansas City, MO. Opened 1973. Formerly named Royals Stadium.
The City of Fountains is well-represented with the outfield display, and the shape of the stadium, with a big, sloping upper deck feels like something out of the 70’s. The park is worth checking out. I don’t mean this in a bad way, but it’s the most Minor League feeling park in the majors. I mean that as in, the vibe feels much less corporate and more family and fan-oriented, where you can enjoy a baseball game in relative peace.
Progressive Field, Home of the Guardians, Cleveland, OH. Opened 1994. Formerly named Jacobs Field.
I do love this stadium, and it fits into Cleveland perfectly. The vertical light towers and concourse in left field are all instantly recognizable. A cool evening at Progressive Field is as relaxing as a baseball game can be.
Rogers Centre, Home of the Blue Jays, Toronto, ON. Opened 1989. Formerly named SkyDome.
A perfectly fine stadium that’s held up pretty well for its age, there’s nothing too noticeable about the stadium except the giant retractable roof. I would love to spend a night in the hotel though.
Target Field, Home of the Twins, Minneapolis, MN. Opened 2010.
This is the only pic I have from target Field. Same as the others in this tier, it has amenities, upgrades and great views, but no charm. I think ballparks these days confuse luxury with charm. Fans don’t need QR-codes and USB ports at their seats, they want good sightlines, close to the action and a fan-friendly atmosphere.
Yankee Stadium II, Home of the Yankees, New York, NY. Opened 2009.
And this embarrassment They replaced a historic, but out-of-date ballpark with a greedy monstrosity “upgraded” version of Yankee Stadium. It’s the Yankees, and there’s something about seeing the sport’s most iconic team at home, but it’s not a memorable ballpark.
Tier IV - Get in, get out
Chase Field, Home of the Diamondbacks, Phoenix, AZ. Opened 1998. Formerly named Bank One Ballpark.
I hate to rank my current homefield in this tier, but it’s just meh. They’ve either removed or ignored some of the things that the place character, like the dirt strip from home to the mound, or the old LED out of town scoreboard, or the big analog clock that hung atop centerfield. And with the roof closed 90% of the time, it just feels dark inside even on the sunniest days. They would really benefit from a lighting upgrade.
loanDepot Park, Home of the Marlins, Miami, FL. Opened 2012. Formerly named Marlins Park.
Kind of like Chase Field, they removed or ignored all its charm in record time. The place only opened a decade ago and already the iconic homer statue is gone (who knows where that would end up), as well as the fish tanks behind the plate. Which I’m sure the fish are happy about, unless they’re like Disco Stu’s shoes and stuck forever. After that, it’s a pretty sterile, usually empty warehouse. Pass.
Minute Maid Park, Home of the Astros, Houston, TX. Opened 2000. Formerly named Enron Field
This is my least favorite of any park built after 1999. It’s just ugly and weird. The Crawford Boxes and their cheap home runs are more annoying than anything. The train full of oranges is boring. The roof is this ugly green color and always closed and the upper deck goes on forever in a steep grade that makes you feel like you’ve been watching from an airplane.
Tier V - Only go to get 100% completion
RingCentral Coliseum, Home of the A’s, Oakland, CA. Opened 1968. Formerly named Oakland Coliseum, Network Associates Coliseum, McAfee Coliseum, O.co Coliseum.
It pains me to put the Coliseum here. I have so many wonderful memories over the years in Oakland, as do many East Bay residents. But even factoring in the nostalgia, it’s still a dump. Like all relationships, if the other person is refusing to put in the work or make changes for the better, you just have to let go.
Tropicana Field, Home of the Rays, St. Petersburg, FL. Opened 1998. Formerly named Thunderdome.
Oh God it’s so ugly. And they tarped off the top half of the upper deck, so it feels even more like walking through a Costco warehouse. At least there’s a stingray petting zoo and… beer sales.
Guaranteed Rate Field, Home of the White Sox, Chicago, IL. Opened 1991. Formerly named Comiskey Park, US Cellular Field.
There’s really nothing special about this park. It’s just kinda there, and now you risk getting shot inside, so…
Tier TBA - Not yet visited
Globe Life Field, Home of the Rangers, Arlington, TX. Opened 2020.
On my to-do list, but a friend who visited this year said she was really unimpressed by how interactive and engaging the park is with fans.
Nationals Park, Home of the Nationals, Washington, DC. Opened 2008.
Truist Park, Home of the Braves, Atlanta, GA. Opened 2017. Formerly named SunTrust Park.
Any comments or re-rankings?