On February 9, 2001, the USS Greeneville, an American submarine, collided with the Ehime Maru, a Japanese fishery high school training ship, off the shore of Oahu, Hawaii. Nine people, including three crew members, four students and two teachers, died.
If this happened between two other countries, it could’ve started a war. But instead, U.S. and Japanese officials turned to another diplomatic tool: baseball. In honor of the victims, the two countries formed an annual youth baseball tournament that alternates locations between Hawaii and Shikoku, Japan.
This is one of the many examples when baseball has been used as a diplomatic tool to help build relationships between countries. But, the sport has been dropping in popularity around the world. With the wild success of the World Baseball Classic back in March, Major League Baseball has announced four international series outside of Canada for the 2024 season.
“Players have a deep interest in growing baseball around the world. No matter where they come from, players are linked by a passion for our game that transcends different languages, cultures and nationalities,” said Tony Clark, the executive director of the MLB Players Association. “It’ll allow fans around the globe to gain a first-hand appreciation for the unmatched skill and infectious enthusiasm players display every time they go to work. We are excited to expand our international presence in new communities and celebrate the game we all love.”
The first stop is Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, during the final week of MLB Spring Training. The Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays will play at Estadio Quisqueya, home to two professional teams in the Dominican Professional Baseball League from March 9-10.
“From the players who have passed through our Dominican Republic Academy to those who have helped us win championships, we have been fortunate to witness the profound impact of Dominican players within our game,” Red Sox president Sam Kennedy said. “We are thrilled to be able to bring Red Sox baseball to such a vibrant baseball community next year.”
The Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres will open up the 2024 season with a two-game series in Seoul, Korea, 10 days after the Dominican Republic. This will be the first time Major League Baseball has played a game in Korea and the ninth time the MLB has opened up the season outside of the U.S. and Canada.
The Padres will be playing internationally for the second straight season after they faced the San Francisco Giants in Mexico City in late April 2023. This will be the Dodgers’ first international game since 2018, and their second international Opening Day series abroad after they played in Australia in 2014.
“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,” Dodgers president Stan Kasten said. “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.”
A month later, the Houston Astros and the Colorado Rockies will face each other for two games in Mexico City. The two teams last played internationally in Mexico, but in Monterrey, not Mexico City. In 2019, the Astros faced the Los Angeles Angels and the Rockies played the Arizona Diamondbacks the same year.
The world tour’s final stop will be London where the New York Mets will face the Philadelphia Phillies at London Stadium on June 8-9, 2024. The Mets have not played internationally since 2010 when they played the Miami Marlins in Puerto Rico, but they were a part of the first-ever international games in 1996 in Mexico and the first regular-season games in Japan in 2000.
This will be the third time the MLB has hosted games in London, with the inaugural series in 2019 between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees and this year’s series with the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals.
“Interest in baseball is growing all over the world, and to bring the Mets’ ‘never-say-die’ attitude to sports fans in London is a tremendous honor,” Mets owner Steve Cohen said. “Our Queens family is ready to show London a great time with exciting baseball and amazing experiences that create new fans and build the Mets community throughout the United Kingdom.”
The Phillies have never played a regular season game internationally, and have only left North America once over 50 years ago when they faced the Pittsburgh Pirates in San Juan, Puerto Rico for exhibition games in 1977.
Baseball has been a tool for connection throughout history. Whether it’s for diplomacy or to build relationships in general, the goal of the international series is to not only grow the sport globally, but to inspire kids all over the world to play baseball at the highest level.
