Tampa Bay Rays sale to close in next two weeks

The Tampa Rays say the sale of the team to a group led by Jacksonville home builder Patrick Zalupski is expected to close in the next two weeks.

The news of the pending completion of the deal was disclosed in a statement Wednesday afternoon announcing that the Ray’s two top executives — presidents Matt Silverman and Brain Auld — are leaving their roles once the new owners take over.

The team, which has reportedly been valued at $1.7 billion, is being bought by a group led by Zalupski, the founder of Jacksonville-based Dream Finders Homes.