KJZZ is a service of Rio Salado College,
and Maricopa Community Colleges

Copyright © 2025 KJZZ/Rio Salado College/MCCCD
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Chase Field May Have Newly Repaired Roof Before Diamondbacks Home Opener

Chase Field in downtown Phoenix
maricopa.gov
/
file | agency |
Chase Field in downtown Phoenix.

Baseball’s pitchers and catchers report for spring training later this month. The Arizona Diamondbacks will have many new players on the field when the season opens and there will also be something new above the field.

Since the Diamondbacks first season in 1998, the retractable roof has opened and closed before and after games. During the hot summer months it usually remains shut to keep the heat out.

After 17 years, the bearings on the rollers that move the roof are wearing out. The stadium district’s board of supervisors, which oversees ballpark operations, is set to approve replacement of the bearings at its Wednesday meeting.

Plans call for the work to be completed before the home opener on April 6. The repairs will cost about $400,000. That’s not bad compared to the average salary for a major league ball player, which is about $4 million.

Al Macias, former KJZZ news director, retired as KJZZ's news director in 2022. He rejoined the station as a features reporter in 2023 and also as a part-time editor in 2024.