By Janina Nuno Rios and Angelica Medina
MEXICO CITY, April 26 (Reuters) - Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said the league was keen to expand into new international markets, while underlining Mexico's central role in its global plans after this weekend's series in Mexico City.
The San Diego Padres beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-4 on Saturday in the opening game of the two-game set at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu, with the teams set to meet again on Sunday in front of another sell-out crowd.
MLB continues to refine its international strategy after the cancellation of planned regular-season games in Paris in 2025 and London this year due to broadcast scheduling and organisational challenges.
"We are interested in expansion ... if distributors (broadcasters) add up around the world for us, there are other markets for baseball," Manfred told reporters on Sunday.
He said Mexico remained a priority with its strong baseball culture and growing presence on the global stage.
"We love being in Mexico City, it's been a great success for us," he said. "It's a really important market for us ... a market that has a baseball culture, important participants in the World Baseball Classic and great professional leagues."
Manfred added that MLB planned to stage more games in the country as part of its long-term international calendar under the current collective bargaining agreement, which is due for renegotiation with players in December.
"We are going to do an international play plan with the MLB Players Association as part of the collective bargaining agreement ... Mexico is going to be a big part of that plan going forward," he said.
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios and Angelica Medina in Mexico City; Editing by Ken Ferris)
