SAN FRANCISCO -- The lengthy lockout over the offseason came with a hidden cost for the Giants. It kept them from making their most interesting road trip in years.
The Giants were supposed to face the Miami Marlins in Mexico City earlier this season but the series got canceled by the lockout. On Wednesday, Major League Baseball announced that they'll get their chance in 2023. The Giants will face the San Diego Padres for two games at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu Beisbol in Mexico City next April 29-30.
The games replaced a previously-scheduled series at Petco Park, but both teams had long known that this was likely. The Giants sent a contingent to Mexico City last offseason to start the planning process and that work continued after the Marlins series was canceled.
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The games are part of an international push by MLB and the MLBPA in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. They will be the first regular-season games played in Mexico City, but the Padres have been there before for exhibitions. They have traveled to Mexico four times, including an exhibition series in Mexico City against the Houston Astros in 2016.
The Giants will be playing internationally for the first time. Their only previous similar experience was a three-game series against the Montreal Expos in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 2004.
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This series is part of a trip to Mexico City and then Houston, and it comes with a day off on Friday before the Giants and Padres play Saturday and Sunday. The Giants expect to take part in MLB activities to grow the game, but also to experience a new culture. Manager Gabe Kapler said he's considering visiting Mexico City this offseason in advance of the series.
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"I'm hoping that we have a chance to have a meal there," Kapler said. "The food in Mexico City is something that I've always wanted to experience. I'm certainly excited about being a part of international baseball and I'm really looking forward to seeing Mexico City."