The Los Angeles Dodgers have long held a strong international presence, which was restored under the Guggenheim Baseball Management group after falling off when Frank McCourt was owner of the team.
Along with being pioneers on the international scouting market, the Dodgers have played several regular season games outside of the United State. Their most recent journey to an international city was participating in the 2018 Mexico Series.
It was a memorable trip to Estadio de Beisbol in Monterrey, Mexico, as the Dodgers threw a combined no-hitter against the San Diego Padres. Four years prior to that, L.A. and the Arizona Diamondbacks met at Sydney Cricket Ground for the Opening Series of the 2014 season.
According to Julien Pretot and Rory Carroll Reuters, next for the Dodgers could be playing at least one game in Paris during the 2025 MLB season:
The Los Angeles Dodgers are in talks to play a game at the Stade De France in Paris in the summer of 2025, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
Although the publication only mentions the Dodgers playing a single game at Stade De France, MLB presumably would arrange for that to be a series. The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox played two games at London Stadium in 2019 for MLB’s first time playing in Europe.
Stade de France has 80,000 seats and is home to the French national soccer and rugby teams. Prior to the Dodgers and MLB possibly making their way to France, the NBA is due to stage a regular season game in Paris in 2023, and the Olympics will be held there in 2024.
MLB has not played any games outside the United States or Canada since 2019 because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. They are due to return to London next season.
In addition to London and Paris, the new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) outlined intentions to play regular season games or tours in Asia, Dominican Republic, Mexico and Puerto Rico.
A new Home Run Derby X initiative is scheduled to be held at Crystal Palace Park in London on July 9, in Seoul (venue to be announced) on Sept. 17, and Mexico City (venue to be announced) on Oct. 15.
Potential Dodgers roster for Paris trip
At present time, only Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Chris Taylor are scheduled to be on the Dodgers roster come the 2025 season.
Phil Bickford, Justin Bruihl, Brusdar Graterol, Will Smith, Edwin Ríos and Gavin Lux are among those who would be at various points of being eligible for salary arbitration and in theory under team control as well.
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