MLB’s travel plans for ’24: Seoul, Mexico City, London, D.R.

The MLB World Tour is coming to 4 worldwide locations in 2024: London, Mexico Metropolis, Seoul and Santo Domingo.

The Seoul Collection would be the opener of the 2024 MLB common season — and can mark the primary MLB regular-season video games ever performed in Korea.

Main League Baseball and the MLB Gamers Affiliation introduced the total plans for the 4 collection on Wednesday.

• Seoul Collection: Dodgers vs. Padres, March 20-21 (MLB season opener)
• Mexico Metropolis Collection: Astros vs. Rockies, April 27-28
• London Collection: Mets vs. Phillies, June 8-9
• Dominican Republic Collection: Purple Sox vs. Rays, March 9-10 (Spring Coaching)

“Main League Baseball is extremely excited for this intensive slate of worldwide video games in 2024,” Commissioner Rob Manfred stated. “Our latest efforts have produced sturdy enthusiasm across the globe, and we stay up for constructing on that basis with returns to Mexico Metropolis and London, whereas additionally opening the season in Korea for the primary time. As well as, we will’t wait to rejoice the custom of the game within the Dominican Republic with our go to to Santo Domingo subsequent March. We’re thrilled that our followers throughout 4 totally different nations outdoors america and Canada could have the chance to see the sport’s stars.”

The MLB World Tour schedule for subsequent yr consists of the return of video games to the UK and Mexico for a second consecutive season, after the 2023 London Collection between the Cubs and Cardinals and Mexico Metropolis Collection between the Giants and Padres, along with new stops in Korea and the Dominican Republic.

“Gamers have a deep curiosity in rising baseball all over the world. Irrespective of the place they arrive from, gamers are linked by a ardour for our sport that transcends totally different languages, cultures, and nationalities,” stated Tony Clark, the chief director of the MLB Gamers Affiliation. “The collection introduced at this time will permit followers across the globe to achieve a first-hand appreciation for the unequalled ability and infectious enthusiasm gamers show each time they go to work. We’re excited to develop our worldwide presence in new communities and rejoice the sport all of us love.”

Here is a take a look at every of the 4 worldwide collection in 2024.

The Dodgers and Padres will open up the 2024 season with two video games in Korea from March 20-21.

The Seoul Collection will mark the ninth time that the MLB season has opened outdoors the 50 U.S. states and Canada, and the primary time in 5 years. Earlier worldwide openers embody:

• 1999 — Monterrey, Mexico (Rockies vs. Padres)
• 2000 — Tokyo, Japan (Mets vs. Cubs)
• 2001 — San Juan, Puerto Rico (Rangers vs. Blue Jays)
• 2004 — Tokyo, Japan (Rays vs. Yankees)
• 2008 — Tokyo, Japan (Purple Sox vs. A’s)
• 2012 — Tokyo, Japan (A’s vs. Mariners)
• 2014 — Sydney, Australia (Dodgers vs. D-backs)
• 2019 — Tokyo, Japan (A’s vs. Mariners)

It is going to be the Dodgers’ first worldwide video games since they performed the Padres in Mexico in 2018, and their second Opening Day overseas after the 2014 season opener in Australia.

“The Dodgers have a protracted and proud historical past of serving to to develop the sport overseas, highlighted by our journeys to Mexico, China and Australia. It’s extremely thrilling so as to add Korea to the listing,” Dodgers president Stan Kasten stated. “I do know our gamers are thrilled to place their abilities on show in a rustic so wealthy with baseball custom and expertise, together with former Dodgers Chan Ho Park, Hee-Seop Choi and Hyun Jin Ryu.”

The Padres will probably be enjoying internationally for a second straight season, however in a brand new nation, going from the 2023 Mexico Metropolis Collection to the 2024 Seoul Collection. Just like the Dodgers, they’ve additionally performed overseas on Opening Day earlier than, within the inaugural worldwide season opener again in 1999.

“Korea is a superb baseball nation with a wealthy custom, passionate followers, and proficient gamers, together with present Padre and San Diego fan favourite Ha-Seong Kim,” Padres CEO Erik Greupner stated. “The Padres are proud to serve alongside the Dodgers as world ambassadors for the sport of baseball with our historic 2024 Korea Collection.”

The second Mexico Metropolis Collection will function the Astros and Rockies for a pair of video games on April 27 and 28, nearly precisely a yr after this season’s inaugural Mexico Metropolis Collection.

Each Houston and Colorado final performed internationally in Mexico, however in Monterrey, not Mexico Metropolis. The Astros performed two regular-season video games in opposition to the Angels there in 2019, and the Rockies performed an exhibition collection in opposition to the D-backs that very same yr.

The Astros have performed exhibition video games in Mexico Metropolis earlier than, in 2016 in opposition to the Padres and 2004 in opposition to the Marlins.

The Mets will probably be enjoying overseas for the primary time since 2010, after they confronted the Marlins in Puerto Rico. However they’re no stranger to worldwide video games, having participated in each MLB’s first-ever worldwide common season video games in 1996 in Mexico and MLB’s first-ever regular-season video games in Japan in 2000.

“Curiosity in baseball is rising everywhere in the world, and to convey the Mets’ ‘never-say-die’ perspective to sports activities followers in London is an incredible honor,” Mets proprietor Steve Cohen stated. “Our Queens household is able to present London a good time with thrilling baseball and superb experiences that create new followers and construct the Mets neighborhood all through the UK.”

The Phillies have by no means performed regular-season video games internationally, and have left the U.S. and Canada solely as soon as, over 50 years in the past, for a pair of exhibition video games in opposition to the Pirates in San Juan in 1977.

“Main League Baseball has executed a superb job of increasing its footprint internationally, and we’re honored to play a task in that effort as a part of the 2024 London Collection,” Phillies managing accomplice John Middleton stated. “This will probably be a beautiful alternative to showcase our gamers’ abilities and spotlight the thrill that comes with a Phillies-Mets matchup for our followers within the UK and for individuals who have by no means attended a baseball sport.”

Along with the three worldwide regular-season collection deliberate for in 2024, the Purple Sox and Rays will play a Spring Coaching collection in Santo Domingo at Estadio Quisqueya from March 9-10.

“This distinctive alternative builds on our long-standing connection to the Dominican Republic and permits us to rejoice the exceptional abilities and wealthy cultural heritage of a rustic whose ardour for the sport has distinctly formed our group,” Purple Sox president Sam Kennedy stated. “From the gamers who’ve handed by means of our Dominican Republic Academy to those that have helped us win championships, we’ve been lucky to witness the profound influence of Dominican gamers inside our sport, and we’re thrilled to have the ability to convey Purple Sox baseball to such a vibrant baseball neighborhood subsequent yr.”

Exhibition video games are additionally a key a part of the MLB World Tour, which incorporates as much as 16 exhibition video games being performed internationally between 2023 and ‘26, in addition to as much as 24 regular-season video games spanning Asia, Europe and Latin America.