This image captured from the official Twitter page of the San Diego Padres on July 13, 2023, shows the club’s South Korean infielder Kim Ha-seong (C) promoting the 2024 Seoul Series on the MLB World Tour between the Padres and the Los Angeles Dodgers. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, July 13 (Korea Bizwire) — For the first time its history, Major League Baseball (MLB) will open a regular season in South Korea.
MLB and the MLB Players Association (MLBPA) announced Wednesday (U.S. time) that the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres will play in Seoul on March 20 and 21 as the 2024 season opener.
Dubbed the “Seoul Series” as part of the MLB World Tour, the games between the two National League West division rivals will be the first MLB regular season contests ever played in this country.
MLB also announced plans for three other international series in 2024 outside the United States and Canada, with regular season stops in Mexico City and London, and spring training action in the Dominican Republic.
A report out of San Diego had first claimed in May that the Padres and the Dodgers would open the 2024 season in the South Korean capital.
MLB has opened a regular season outside the U.S. and Canada on eight previous occasions, most recently in Tokyo in 2019.
Though MLB didn’t announce the venue for the Seoul Series this time, Gocheok Sky Dome is regarded as the likely destination, considering the oft-chilly conditions of late March in South Korea.
An official with the KBO said MLB had previously sent officials to the only domed stadium in South Korea for an on-site inspection.
Should the dome be chosen as the stage, the Seoul Series would then become a homecoming for Padres infielder Kim Ha-seong, who played for the Gocheok-based Kiwoom Heroes in the KBO for seven seasons before joining the Friars in 2021.
This image provided by Major League Baseball on July 13, 2023, shows the matchup for the 2024 Seoul Series on the MLB World Tour between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres. (Yonhap)
“When I joined the Padres, I never would have imagined that I would have the opportunity to represent the San Diego Padres and Major League Baseball in my home country,” Kim said in a video posted by the Padres on Twitter.
“I cannot express how happy I am to be able to play in Korea in a San Diego uniform. It will be a very special memory for me to invite my teammates, staff and coaches to my country and experience this great opportunity together.”
Both the Dodgers and the Padres have strong Korean connection.
Right-handed pitcher Park Chan-ho, the first South Korean player in MLB history, pitched for the Dodgers from 1994 to 2001 and again in 2008, making them one of the most beloved big league clubs in South Korea.
Park is currently an adviser in the Padres front office. Infielder Choi Hee-seop and pitcher Seo Jae-weong also donned Dodger blue in the mid-2000s.
Left-hander Ryu Hyun-jin was a mainstay in the Dodgers starting rotation from 2013 to 2019. In his final season there, Ryu led the majors with a 2.32 ERA and became the first South Korean pitcher to start an MLB All-Star Game.
“We can’t wait to play meaningful major league games for the very first time in front of the outstanding baseball fans of South Korea next season,” Dodgers president Stan Kasten said in a statement.
“The Dodgers have a long and proud history of helping to grow the game abroad, highlighted by our trips to Mexico, China and Australia. It’s very exciting to add Korea to the list. I know our players are thrilled to put their talents on display in a country so rich with baseball tradition and talent, including former Dodgers Chan Ho Park, Hee-Seop Choi and Hyun Jin Ryu.”
In addition to Park, another pitcher, Baek Cha-seung, also played for the Padres.
This photo captured from the official Instagram account of the San Diego Padres shows the team’s South Korean shortstop Kim Ha-seong.
Now in his third season with the Padres, Kim has become a fan favorite, with home fans chanting “Ha-seong Kim!” before his plate appearances at Petco Park. He has developed into one of MLB’s top defensive players, too.
Kim was a finalist for the NL Gold Glove at shortstop last season.
This year, he leads all MLB second basemen in Outs Above Average, which measures how many outs a player has saved for his team compared with an average fielder, with 11.
“Korea is a great baseball country with a rich tradition, passionate fans and talented players, including current Padre and San Diego fan favorite Ha-Seong Kim,” Padres CEO Erik Greupner said.
“The Padres are proud to serve alongside the Dodgers as global ambassadors for the game of baseball with our historic 2024 Korea Series.”
These will be the Dodgers’ first international games since they faced the Padres in Mexico in 2018, and their second Opening Day overseas since 2014 in Australia.
The Padres also played games abroad this season, in Mexico City against the San Francisco Giants.
The Padres were also part of the very first international Opening Day series in 1999, when they played the Colorado Rockies in Monterrey, Mexico.
“Major League Baseball is incredibly excited for this extensive slate of international games in 2024,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said.
“Our recent efforts have produced strong enthusiasm around the globe, and we look forward to building on that foundation with returns to Mexico City and London, while also opening the season in Korea for the first time.”
(Yonhap)
