New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies will be baseball’s next visitors to the UK, with the 2024 MLB London Series match-up officially announced.
The commissioner of Major League Baseball also revealed the organisation’s commitment to hosting future games in the English capital, with suggestions the London Stadium could become the ‘home of baseball’ in Europe.
New York Mets will play Philadelphia Phillies in the 2024 MLB London SeriesCredit: MLB
Commissioner Rob Manfred announced the news on Friday afternoon, live from West Ham’s home ground, ahead of the weekend’s takeover of America’s pastime as Chicago Cubs take on old enemies St Louis Cardinals.
It’s the second edition of the London Series, with 2019 seeing the sport’s two biggest names – New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox – bring their historic rivalry to Britain for the first time.
It was a series sweep for the Yankees, who sealed 17-13 and 12-8 wins in a homerun fest that fans will be hoping to see a repeat of this year.
Rivalry is a big selling point for MLB, with the Cubs and Cards’ grudge match going back over 130 years, through many variations of both franchises – it’s no different for Mets vs Phillies who have experienced some intense battles over the years in an east-coast rivalry dubbed ‘Battle of the Broads’.
It will also see a host of talent take to the diamond in London in 2024, including Mets slugger and two-time Home Run Derby champion Pete Alonso and star pitching duo Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, plus Phillies designated hitter Bryce Harper and 2021 Silver Slugger winner Nick Castellanos.
In 2025 the European leg of MLB’s schedule is set to be moved to Paris, with New York Yankees again likely to be involved, before returning to London in 2026.
That would conclude the current deal with MLB to stage games in London, but there is hope for more, and even that baseball games will become a permanent fixture of the capital’s sporting calendar.
