Believe it or not, Major League Baseball’s London Series is upon us.
A good old-fashioned NL East rivalry will take center stage across the pond this weekend as the New York Mets will take on the Philadelphia Phillies.
“I think everybody is excited to go,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “I think this is going to be unique, and it’s going to be a great experience for everybody involved.”
Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor echoed those sentiments, stating: “I’m looking forward to the whole experience of being outside of the regular baseball stadiums that we normally play and experiencing different crowds and different kinds of scenes.”
The Saturday and Sunday matchups will take place at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
It’s part of a sporting complex that was originally built for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Currently, the site is home of West Ham United FC of England’s Premier League. The field has of course been reconfigured to meet baseball standards.
Speaking of which, MLB Europe recently shared a fascinating video showcasing the process of turning the stadium from a soccer field into a baseball field.
When it comes to concerts, London Stadium can hold up to 80,000 fans. However, the baseball capacity will be in the 55,000-60,000 range.
This will mark MLB’s third-ever London Series.
The Yankees played the Red Sox in 2019 while the Cubs played the Cardinals last year. (Credit to MLB for showcasing historic rivalry games for the London crowd.)
Interestingly, an exhibition game was held in London between the New York Giants and Chicago White Sox all the way back in 1914.
Commissioner Rob Manfred along with several members of both the Mets and Phillies organization will be making appearances at events around the city.
As for the actual baseball, the Mets will serve as the “home” team on Saturday, while the Phillies will have that honor on Sunday.
Saturday’s expected starters are Sean Manaea (3-2, 3.63 ERA) for the Mets against Ranger Suarez (9-1, 1.70 ERA) for the Phillies.
For Sunday, the expected pitching matchup consists of Jose Quintana (1-5, 5.17 ERA) against Taijuan Walker (3-1, 5.73 ERA).
While the series matchup features two bitter northeast rivals, the two clubs are seemingly headed in opposite directions.
The Phillies are the best team in the National League and hold a league-best 44-19 record.
Meanwhile, the Mets have been surrounded by constant drama (what else is new?) and are struggling with a 27-35 mark.
What are your thoughts on MLB playing games in Europe?
Do you think it’s a good idea for Manfred and company to try and globalize the sport?
What other countries would be a good idea to stage games in???