List of Major League Baseball games played outside the United States and Canada
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Major League Baseball (MLB) has played multiple regular season games outside of the United States and Canada.[1] Beginning with the 2023 season, these games are branded as MLB World Tour.[2]
List of games
[edit]To date, major-league regular-season games have been contested in five countries outside of the United States and Canada: Australia (Sydney), Japan (Tokyo), Mexico (Mexico City and Monterrey), South Korea (Seoul), and the United Kingdom (London).
The first MLB World Tour games (as they are now known) were contested in Mexico in 1996 and 1999. From 2000 through 2012, eight such games were contested, all in Japan. Two games were played in Australia in 2014, followed by three games in Mexico in 2018. The 2019 season saw a total of eight games played in Japan, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. Following a three year pause, Mexico and the United Kingdom each hosted a two-game series in 2023. In 2024, MLB teams played two-game series in Seoul, Mexico City, and London.
Exhibition contests, such as preseason games or postseason all-star games, are not included in the list below. Several such contests can be found in the See also section.
- Notes
- The March 2008 games were known as the MLB Japan Opening Series 2008.
- The March 21, 2019, contest in Tokyo was the last professional game for Ichiro Suzuki, who announced his retirement immediately afterwards.[39]
- The June 2019 games were part of the 2019 MLB London Series.
- There has been one no-hitter: May 4, 2018 (detail).
- There has been one extra innings game: March 21, 2019 (12 innings).
Canceled games
[edit]In May 2019, MLB announced that the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals would play a two-game series in London in June 2020, to be known as the 2020 MLB London Series. Additionally, in December 2019, the league announced that the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres would play a two-game series in Mexico City in April 2020. These would have been the first regular-season MLB games in Mexico City.[40] Both of these series were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[41][42]
Games played in Puerto Rico
[edit]Estadio Hiram Bithorn in San Juan, Puerto Rico, has hosted 49 MLB games since 2001.[1] As Puerto Rico is a United States commonwealth, these games are not included in the above table.
The Montreal Expos played 43 "home" games at Estadio Hiram Bithorn during 2003 and 2004.[43]
Excluding Expos games, below is a list of neutral-site games played in Puerto Rico:
Season | Date | Designated visitor | Score | Designated home team | Attendance | Stadium | City | Country | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2001 | April 1 | Texas Rangers | 1–8 | Toronto Blue Jays | 19,891 | Estadio Hiram Bithorn | San Juan | Puerto Rico | [44] |
2010 | June 28 | New York Mets | 3–10 | Florida Marlins | 18,073 | [45] | |||
June 29 | New York Mets | 6–7 | Florida Marlins | 18,373 | [46] | ||||
June 30 | New York Mets | 6–5 | Florida Marlins | 19,232 | [47] | ||||
2018 | April 17 | Cleveland Indians | 6–1 | Minnesota Twins | 19,516 | [48] | |||
April 18 | Cleveland Indians | 1–2 | Minnesota Twins | 19,537 | [49] |
In August 2019, MLB announced a three-game series between the New York Mets and Miami Marlins at Estadio Hiram Bithorn to be played in April 2020.[50] This series was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[41]
MLB World Tour
[edit]As part of the collective bargaining agreement to end the 2021–22 Major League Baseball lockout, MLB announced a plan to have additional games played internationally, including regular-season games in Tokyo, Seoul, Mexico City, London, and Paris between 2023 and 2026.[51] Beginning with the 2023 season, games outside the U.S. and Canada are branded as "MLB World Tour".[2]
The MLB Mexico City Series was first contested in 2023 at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú. The San Diego Padres won both games against the San Francisco Giants.[52]
In 2024, the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays played two games during spring training on March 9–10 at Estadio Quisqueya in Santo Domingo;[53] the Red Sox won both games.[54][55] The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres opened the regular season at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul, with each team winning one game. The MLB Seoul Series included the first regular season games to be played in Korea.[56][57] Also during 2024, the Houston Astros won both games against the Colorado Rockies played at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú in Mexico City on April 27–28, and the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies played two games at London Stadium as part of the MLB London Series on June 8–9, with each team winning one game.[58][59]
Future plans
[edit]On April 3, 2024, the commissioner of Japanese baseball, Sadayuki Sakakibara, told reporters that the 2025 MLB season would open in Japan on March 18–19, which would be the first MLB games played in the country since 2019 (and the first played under World Tour branding).[60] On July 18, 2024, MLB announced that the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs would open the 2025 season at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo.
MLB had planned to host games at the Stade de France, just outside Paris, starting in 2025. MLB canceled its 2025 Paris series due to being unable to find a promoter for the event[61] and because of scheduling issues that made it impractical to build a field to MLB's standards at the stadium.[62]
See also
[edit]- American Series, MLB and Negro league spring training games played in Cuba before the 1960 Cuban Revolution
- 1999 Baltimore Orioles–Cuba national baseball team exhibition series, which included a March 1999 exhibition game played in Cuba
- MLB China Series, two 2008 spring training games
- MLB Home Run Derby X, an exhibition tour held since 2022, including appearances in London, Seoul, and Mexico City
- MLB Japan All-Star Series, postseason all-star contests held periodically since 1986
- MLB Taiwan All-Star Series, postseason all-star contests held in 2011
- List of neutral site regular season Major League Baseball games played in the United States and Canada
- List of National Football League games played outside the United States
- List of college football games played outside the United States
References
[edit]- ^ a b Adler, David (June 28, 2019). "Complete history of MLB games played abroad". MLB.com. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
- ^ a b Salazar, JD (April 29, 2023). "Series Preview: SF Giants and Padres head to Mexico City". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
- ^ "New York Mets at San Diego Padres Box Score, August 16, 1996". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "New York Mets at San Diego Padres Box Score, August 17, 1996". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "New York Mets at San Diego Padres Box Score, August 18, 1996". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Colorado Rockies at San Diego Padres Box Score, April 4, 1999". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Chicago Cubs at New York Mets Box Score, March 29, 2000". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "New York Mets at Chicago Cubs Box Score, March 30, 2000". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Devil Rays Box Score, March 30, 2004". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Devil Rays Box Score, March 31, 2004". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Boston Red Sox at Oakland Athletics Box Score, March 25, 2008". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Boston Red Sox at Oakland Athletics Box Score, March 26, 2008". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Seattle Mariners at Oakland Athletics Box Score, March 28, 2012". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Seattle Mariners at Oakland Athletics Box Score, March 29, 2012". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks Box Score, March 22, 2014". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks Box Score, March 23, 2014". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres Box Score, May 4, 2018". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres Box Score, May 5, 2018". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres Box Score, May 6, 2018". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Game Recap: Mariners power past A's on Opening Day (3/20/19)". YouTube.com.
- ^ "Mariners win Ichiro's final game in 12 innings - 3/21/19". YouTube.com.
- ^ "Cardinals vs. Reds - Game Summary". ESPN. April 13, 2019.
- ^ "Cardinals vs. Reds - Game Summary". ESPN. April 14, 2019.
- ^ "Astros vs. Angels - Game Summary". ESPN. May 4, 2019.
- ^ "Astros vs. Angels - Game Summary". ESPN. May 5, 2019.
- ^ "Yankees vs. Red Sox - Box Score". ESPN. June 29, 2019.
- ^ "Yankees vs. Red Sox - Box Score". ESPN. June 30, 2019.
- ^ "Giants 11, Padres 16 Final Score (04/29/2023) on MLB Gameday". Major League Baseball. April 30, 2023.
- ^ "Padres rally in 8th to sweep Mexico City Series". May 1, 2023.
- ^ Bastian, Jordan (June 24, 2023). "Cubs turn London Series opener into jolly old romp". MLB.com. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
- ^ Denton, John (June 25, 2023). "Cardinals rally to take London Series finale". MLB.com. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
- ^ Toribio, Juan (March 20, 2024). "Dodgers come alive late, stun Padres in Seoul opener". MLB.com. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
- ^ Park, Do-Hyoung (March 21, 2024). "Machado's homer caps slugfest as Padres split Seoul Series". MLB.com. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
- ^ McTaggart, Brian (April 27, 2024). "Yordan's pair of 461-foot homers help power Mexico City rout". MLB.com. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
- ^ Harding, Thomas (April 28, 2024). "Rockies squander Gomber's 'efficient' outing in Mexico City finale". MLB.com. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
- ^ Zolecki, Todd (June 8, 2024). "'Iconic,' 'euphoric': Harper takes London by storm in opener". MLB.com. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
- ^ DiComo, Anthony (June 9, 2024). "RARE double play caps wild finish to London Series". MLB.com. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
- ^ "Dodgers, Cubs to stage star-studded showdown in Tokyo to begin 2025 season". MLB.com.
- ^ Johns, Greg (March 21, 2019). "Ichiro retires after emotional finale in Tokyo". MLB.com. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
- ^ "MLB D-backs Padres play in Mexico City in 2020". MLB.com. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
- ^ a b Adams, Steve (March 19, 2020). "MLB Cancels Planned Series In Mexico City And Puerto Rico". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
- ^ "MLB cancels Cubs-Cardinals London series in June". ESPN.com. April 1, 2020. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
- ^ "Estadio Hiram Bithorn in San Juan, PR". Retrosheet. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
- ^ "Texas Rangers at Toronto Blue Jays Box Score, April 1, 2001". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "New York Mets at Florida Marlins Box Score, June 28, 2010". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "New York Mets at Florida Marlins Box Score, June 29, 2010". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "New York Mets at Florida Marlins Box Score, June 30, 2010". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Cleveland Indians at Minnesota Twins Box Score, April 17, 2018". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "Cleveland Indians at Minnesota Twins Box Score, April 18, 2018". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ Mcpherson, Jordan. "The Miami Marlins will play three games in Puerto Rico during the 2020 season". Miami Herald.
- ^ Harris, Declan (March 16, 2022). "When Will Baseball Fans See International Games Again?". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
- ^ Wagner, James (May 1, 2023). "Passionate Baseball Fans and (Very) Thin Air Let Mexico City Shine". The New York Times. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
- ^ "2024 MLB World Tour: Dominican Republic Series". MLB.com. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
- ^ Speier, Alex (March 9, 2024). "Saturday's spring training report: Red Sox shut out Rays in opener in Dominican Republic". The Boston Globe. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
- ^ Speier, Alex (March 10, 2024). "Sunday's spring training report: Red Sox finish two-game sweep of Rays in Dominican Republic". The Boston Globe. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
- ^ "Dodgers-Padres to open 2024 season in Seoul". ESPN. Associated Press. July 12, 2023. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
- ^ Boeck, Scott; Yomtov, Jesse (March 21, 2024). "Dodgers vs. Padres highlights: San Diego wins wild one, Yamamoto struggles in MLB Korea finale". USA Today. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
- ^ "MLB Unveils 2024 Schedule Packed With Marquee Matchups". MLB.com. July 13, 2023. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
- ^ "MLB releases 2024 schedule; all 30 teams play March 28". ESPN. Associated Press. July 13, 2023. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
- ^ "Japan to host 2025 MLB season-opening series". NHK World. April 3, 2024. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
- ^ Blum, Ronald (November 16, 2023). "MLB cancels 2025 Paris games after failing to find promoter, AP sources say". AP NEWS. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
- ^ Adler, David (November 23, 2023). "Tickets for London Series featuring Phillies-Mets on sale now". MLB.com. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
MLB's plans to play in Paris in 2025 have been scratched due to scheduling issues with Stade de France; the venue was not able to provide the necessary time needed to build a Major League-quality baseball field.