Posted by J.Y. MORTIMER
FROM WIKIPEDIA COMMONS
The MLB London Series is an arrangement for Major League Baseball (MLB) to play select regular season games at London Stadium in London, England. The arrangement was initially for two years, 2019 and 2020, which was sponsored by Mitel and branded as Mitel & MLB Present London Series. The 2019 games were the first MLB contests ever played in Europe, and featured the Boston Red Sox hosting two games against the New York Yankees. Two games planned for 2020 between the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, the arrangement between MLB and Greater London was renewed for games in 2023, 2024 and 2026. Beginning with the 2023 season, the series is branded as the MLB World Tour: London Series, reflecting the new “MLB World Tour” name applied to games played outside the U.S. and Canada.
Series summary
*142 years, the Cardinals and Cubs have played 2,471 times in the regular season.
*In their storied history, the Cubs lead the all-time head-to-head matchups with 1,260 wins to the Cardinals’ 1,211. But the number of World Series championships is where there has been the most separation between the two teams. The Cardinals have won an NL-best 11 titles, while the Cubs went 108 years between their titles in 1907-08 and 2016.
FAQ about the London Series
What is the London Series?
The 2023 London Series is part of the MLB World Tour, a historic slate of games that will bring MLB teams and players to the league’s global fan base. The tour features planned regular-season and exhibition games to be played in Asia, Europe, Mexico and Latin America through the 2026 season.
When are the games and how can I watch them?
The Cubs and Cardinals will square off on Saturday and Sunday at London Stadium. FOX Sports will air the Saturday game at 1:10 p.m. ET/12:10 CT and ESPN will carry the Sunday contest at 10:10 a.m. ET/9:10 CT.
What’s the history of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park?
The park is a sporting complex that was built for the 2012 Summer Olympics. That includes what is now known as London Stadium, a multi-use facility that was configured to host the baseball games. London Stadium is currently the home of West Ham United FC of England’s Premier League.
What are the outfield dimensions?
It’ll be a little harder to hit a home run in this London Series than it was when the Red Sox and Yankees combined for 10 homers in two games back in 2019. While it will remain 330 feet from home plate to the outfield wall down the lines, the distances to the alleys (from 382 feet to 387 feet) and center (385 feet to 392 feet) have increased.
What should I know about London?
London is one of the top tourist cities in the world for a reason. It is filled with fascinating history and beautiful views. You can be sure there will be Cubs and Cardinals fans all weekend in town to check out the London Eye, the London Bridge, the Tower of London, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace, among other famous sites.
What’s the history of MLB games in London?
The Yankees and Red Sox played in the first London Series games in 2019. The teams combined for 50 runs and 65 hits with New York winning both games. The Cubs and Cardinals were originally slated to return in 2020 before the pandemic delayed the continuation of the series.
Baseball has been played in London at multiple points in history, but the London Series marked the first regular-season games. Prior to 2019, the last Major Leaguers to play an exhibition game in London were from the New York Giants and Chicago White Sox (1914), Chicago White Stockings (Cubs) and an assortment of players from other clubs (1889) and the Boston Red Stockings and Philadelphia Athletics (1874).
Who is the home team?
The Cardinals will serve as the “home” team at London Stadium. St. Louis won two out of three games in its first meeting at Wrigley Field in Chicago in May. Following the London Series, the teams will meet up again in Chicago on July 21-23 and then at Busch Stadium in St. Louis from July 27-30.
Is there anything else fans should know?
- Paul Goldschmidt will become the first player in MLB history to play a regular-season game in five countries, per research spearheaded by the Cardinals. By this weekend, Goldschmidt will have played in England, Australia, Mexico, Canada and the U.S. while with the D-backs and Cardinals. Sixteen MLB players have played in four countries. Four NBA players and 15 NHL players have competed in regular-season games in five different countries, per the Elias Sports Bureau.
- Chicago’s Mike Tauchman played in the inaugural London Series in 2019 for the Yankees, but he only took two pinch-hit at-bats. He’s set himself up for much more playing time in this edition, as he’s hit .333 in his past 10 games leading into the series and worked his way into the leadoff spot.
- Wainwright has made more starts (48) against the Cubs than any other team over his 18 seasons. His 19 wins against the Cubs are his third most against any foe, trailing only the 23 he has over the Pirates and 21 against the Brewers.
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