First MLB Games to be Played in Korea will Feature Padres vs Dodgers

First MLB Games to be Played in Korea will Feature Padres vs Dodgers

13 July, 2023

Beginning the 2024 MLB season, the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres will both make history.

The two NL West rivals will play a series in Seoul, South Korea, on March 20 and 21 of next year, according to a statement from MLB released on Wednesday. This will be the first time an official MLB game has been played in one of the world’s baseball-loving nations.

In the absence of a deal, the Padres will field middle infielder Ha-seong Kim in the game. In addition to leading the Padres in bWAR with 4.1, the former Kiwoom Heroes star is presently hitting.258/.349/.411 with 10 home runs and a team-best 16 stolen bases. He played in Seoul throughout his KBO career.

Chan Ho Park, Hee-seop Choi, and Hyun-jin Ryu, former Korean players for the Dodgers, have helped the squad become one of the most well-liked in the nation.

Next season, the Dodgers and Padres will play on the other side of the Pacific.

The MLB “World Tour” concept, which will feature two additional international series in 2024, includes the Korea games. On April 27 and 28, the Colorado Rockies and Houston Astros will play in Mexico City, and on June 8 and 9, the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies will play in London.

The Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays will also play a spring training series on March 9 and 10 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

After a three-year hiatus brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, MLB resumed scheduling overseas games this season. Series were played in Mexico City and London during the 2023 season, and there is no indication that the league would slow down in the future.