MLB dumps Puerto Rico and Mexico from 2025 schedule
With MLB expansion eyes now firmly focusing on Japan and the far east, regular season games in Mexico and Puerto Rico have been put on hold.
Major League Baseball has decided to pull the plug on 2025 regular-season games in Mexico City and San Juan, Puerto Rico. The move follows a challenging international expansion schedule, with Commissioner Rob Manfred citing economic viability as a key concern. “We did not have, despite a lot of efforts, an arrangement that made economic sense for us,” Manfred explained, adding optimism for future games in these locations.
The decision disrupts the collective bargaining agreement, which originally scheduled these games as part of an ambitious push to globalize the sport. In 2023 and 2024, Mexico City hosted games at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú, and Puerto Rico has a history of hosting 49 regular-season games from 2001 to 2018. However, cancellations have become a pattern since 2020, when pandemic-related issues derailed plans for both cities.
Bernie Williams was a cornerstone of the New York Yankees dynasty of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
— MLB (@MLB) October 12, 2024
The Puerto Rico native spent his entire 16-year career with the Yankees. He was a 5-time All-Star and a 4-time Gold Glove Award winner. He helped the Yankees win 4 World Series… pic.twitter.com/b9BgvOkrvZ
For now, MLB’s international focus shifts to Tokyo, where the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs will open the 2025 season in March. The league assures fans that Mexico City and San Juan remain integral to its long-term plans, with games in both cities scheduled under the labor deal for 2026. Manfred stated, “I’m sure we’ll be back during the term of this agreement” but acknowledged the fluidity of these plans as priorities evolve.
This latest adjustment highlights the balancing act MLB faces in expanding globally while ensuring financial and logistical feasibility. Future developments in San Juan and Mexico City will depend on crafting agreements that meet both economic and promotional needs.
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