All you need to know about the Mexico Series

MEXICO CITY – The Padres and Giants will bring Major League Baseball to the Mexican capital this weekend.

The National League West rivals will take on the 2023 Mexico City Series with games on Saturday and Sunday at Alfredo Harp Sweet Stadium. Major League Baseball has visited Mexico several times before, but this weekend’s regular season games will be held for the first time in Mexico City.

“It’s going to be fun, to go out and have that experience in another country is going to be a big thing,” said Padres third baseman Mane Machado. “I know it will be great for Mexico City, [y] for the whole country as well. It definitely excites us.”

The games will be played in the midst of a great moment for Mexican baseball. The Mexican team was a surprise when it reached the semi-finals of the World Baseball Classic, climbing to No. 3 in the rankings. The Padres, who will be the home team for the two-game series, have a huge following in Baja California, just south of San Diego.

“It’s going to be a great opportunity,” said Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski. “Obviously it’s going to be a different atmosphere. I think it would be really fun to have that experience, maybe get some winter baseball feel without playing winter baseball. … It’s a great opportunity for the game to continue to grow.”

What is the Mexico City series?

The Mexico City Series is part of the “MLB World Tour,” the latest chapter in the league’s initiative to bring international games to major baseball markets. (The Cubs and Cardinals will do it this summer in the London Series.) This weekend’s matches mark the twelfth and thirteenth matches played on Mexican soil, but the first outside of Monterrey.

“Promoting baseball around the world is a good thing,” said Padres manager Bob Melvin. “I’ve been to Japan many times and had a good time both times I was there. I’m excited to go to another country and promote our game again.”

“We just want to expand as much as possible and grow the fan base, and get fans in cities like Mexico City and countries like Mexico excited about Major League Baseball,” said Gabe Kapler, manager of the Giants. Mexico has great talent and a great professional league. I think there’s room for fans in Mexico to enjoy the local professional baseball and also be a fan of Major League Baseball, so that’s very exciting.”

When will the matches take place?

Saturday’s game is scheduled for 6:05 PM ET / 3:05 PM PT, followed by the second game at 4:05 PM EST / 1:05 PM PT on Sunday.

What is the history of Alfredo Harp Sweet Stadium?

Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium is the home of the Diablos Rojos del México team, which plays in the Mexican Baseball League. Located in Ciudad Deportiva Magdalena Mixhuca – where the 1968 Olympic Games were held – the stadium opened its doors in 2019 and has a capacity of 20,576. The stadium was to host the Padres and D-backs for the April 2020 Major League Baseball Series, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The stadium is named after businessman Alfredo Harp Helu, owner of the Red Devils and, since 2012, minority owner of the Padres.

What should I know about Mexico City?

Apart from being the country’s capital and largest city, it is also one of the largest and most vibrant cities in the world, with nearly 22 million residents in the metropolitan area. It is located in the Highlands, and has an elevation of 7,350 feet. Keep in mind that this elevation is much higher than Coors Field in Colorado, which is a stadium that favors hitters. We may see a few more races.

What is the history of MLB games in Mexico?

Five regular season series have been played in Mexico, since the August 1996 Padres-Mets series in Monterrey. The Frailes and Rockies met in one game in Monterrey in 1999, as well as San Diego and the Dodgers met there for a three-game series in 2018. In 2019, the Cardinals played the Reds, as well as the Astros in two meetings with the Angels also in Monterrey .

Have the Giants and/or Padres participated in other international games?

Los Frailes have played the most games in Mexico of all franchises. They have seen matches in Monterrey on three different occasions in 1996, 1999 and 2018, for a total of seven matches. For their part, the Giants have never played in games outside the United States and Canada.

What community events are organized as part of the trip?

On Friday, the Padres Little League will visit Olmeca, where they will host a 200-kids baseball clinic, featuring players including Xander Bogaerts, Nelson Cruz, and Matt Carpenter. On Saturday morning, before their first game, the Giants will take part in a Play Ball on Diamond youth event outside Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium with kids from the John Langdon Down Foundation. Jock Pedersen, among other club members, will attend.

Who are the potential starters for both games?

The Padres will field their two best games, with Joe Musgrove slated for Saturday’s game and Yu Darvish to wrap up the series. Darvish pulled out of his last outing with a right hamstring cramp, but said he would be fine in his next start.

Former San Diego player Shawn Mania will start for the Giants on Saturday, followed by Alex Cobb on Sunday.

Anything else fans need to know?