Houston Astros announce new name for Minute Maid Park
A NEW ERA BEGINS
18 November 2024
A NEW ERA BEGINS
The Houston Astros' home will get a new name on Jan. 1, becoming Daikin Park under an agreement through the 2039 season the team announced Monday.
The stadium opened as Enron Field in 2000 as part of a 30-year, $100 million agreement but the name was removed in March 2002 following Enron Corp.'s bankruptcy filing and the ballpark briefly became Astros Field.
It was renamed Minute Maid Park in June 2002 as part of a deal with The Minute Maid Co., a Houston-based subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Co. Then-Astros owner Drayton McLane said at the time the agreement was for 28 years and for more than $100 million.
The new deal is with Daikin Comfort Technologies North America Inc., a subsidiary of Daikin Industries Ltd., which is based in Japan and is a leading air conditioning company.
Minute Maid will remain an Astros partner through 2029, the team said.
Houston right-hander Spencer Arrighetti broke his right thumb when he was hit by a line drive while playing catch in left field before Monday night's game at Seattle.
Astros manager Joe Espada told reporters Arrighetti was being evaluated during his pregame availability. The team announced the injury about an hour before its series opener against the Mariners.
The 25-year-old Arrighetti is 1-1 with a 5.59 ERA in two starts this season. He allowed five runs and three hits in 3 2/3 innings during Saturday's 6-1 loss at Minnesota.
Arrighetti, a sixth-round pick in the 2021 amateur draft, went 7-13 with a 4.53 ERA in 28 starts and one relief appearance as a rookie last year.