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Major League Baseball is headed to South Korea for the first time ever in 2024.
What matchup will fans get to witness as part of MLB's initial trip? None other than a classic Southern California rivalry.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres will be the two teams facing off in Seoul, South Korea. Their games will serve as the regular-season opener for the 2024 MLB campaign, the league announced Wednesday.
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The Seoul Series will be a two-game set -- home- and home-series style -- and will transpire on Wednesday, March 20 and Thursday, March 21.
It will mark the ninth time a new season has started outside the United States and Canada, and the first in five years. The most recent Opening Series abroad featured the Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics in 2019 when they met in Tokyo, Japan.
Along with South Korea, here are the other international locations and matchups MLB has on its calendar for 2024:
• Seoul Series: Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Diego Padres, March 20-21 (MLB season opener)
• Mexico City Series: Houston Astros vs. Colorado Rockies, April 27-28
• London Series: New York Mets vs. Philadelphia Phillies, June 8-9
• Dominican Republic Series: Boston Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays, March 9-10 (Spring Training)
"Major League Baseball is incredibly excited for this extensive slate of international games in 2024," Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a press release. "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.
"In addition, we can’t wait to celebrate the tradition of the sport in the Dominican Republic with our visit to Santo Domingo next March. We are thrilled that our fans across four different countries outside the United States and Canada will have the opportunity to see the game’s stars."
The Mexico City Series is returning for its second edition and the London Series for its third. The series in the Dominican Republic, though, is only for two Spring Training games.
