By Janina Nuno Rios
MEXICO CITY, April 24 (Reuters) - Major League Baseball returns to Mexico City this weekend in its latest push to grow the game beyond its traditional North American base, doubling down on a market it views as having strong growth potential.
A two-game series between the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu will be the third set of regular-season games in the Mexican capital, part of MLB’s World Tour launched in 2023.
While planned games in Paris
in 2025 and London in 2026 were scrapped due to scheduling issues, Mexico has become central to MLB’s international calendar.
In a country where soccer dominates the sports landscape, baseball is gaining traction.
Mexico’s summer league draws strong crowds, attracts sponsors and top talent — momentum MLB sees translating into commercial growth.
"Mexico is definitely a market that we care about," MLB senior vice president of global operations Jeremiah Yolkut said.
"We think from a business standpoint, but also a development standpoint, there's a real opportunity for MLB to be even bigger in the market."
The league has ramped up local engagement ahead of the series with promotional campaigns and activations across the city, and tickets have again sold out, as they did in previous editions.
MLB's return is part of a broader push by North American leagues to expand internationally and tap new audiences. Few markets offer as much potential as neighboring Mexico.
The league has played 15 regular-season games in the country since 1996, when the New York Mets faced the Padres in Monterrey in the first Major League games held outside the United States and Canada.
NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST SHOWDOWN
On the field, both the Padres and the Diamondbacks have emerged as early challengers to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West.
Offense is expected to be in the ascendancy.
Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu sits 2,240 meters above sea level — higher than Denver’s Coors Field — where thinner air allows the ball to travel farther and reduces pitch movement.
That was evident in 2023 when the San Francisco Giants and Padres combined for 27 runs and 11 home runs in the first Mexico City Series.
The Diamondbacks will play their first regular-season games in Mexico after 11 exhibition appearances, while the Padres are making their fourth visit.
"It's going to be a great experience," Diamondbacks closer Paul Sewald said. "That place is going to be totally packed. It'll be neutral fans cheering for good baseball."
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
