Rodriguez is looking forward to London showdown

Former New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez says it is 'a dream come true' to bring Major League Baseball's greatest rivalry to England.
Alex RodriguezAlex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez

London Stadium will host matches between the Yankees and world champions the Boston Red Sox in June.

The two-game series will be the first time the MLB has staged a match Europe.

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“It’s really a dream come true for me as a lover of MLB and baseball in general,” said Rodriguez, who visited the stadium yesterday.

“I dreamt as a player to play here in London. Baseball is synonymous with numbers and history like no other sport, and because it’s a thinking people’s game, I think it fits beautifully here.

“We’re leading with our best, and we’re coming here with the best America has to offer.

“When you think about history in sports in America, part of that is Yankees v Red Sox.

“These are two titans. It’s Goliath versus Goliath.”

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Rodriguez won the world series with the Yankees in 2009 and was named the American league’s most valuable player on three occasions.

The 43-year-old, who retired in 2016, is confident the high-profile games will increase interest in the sport on this side of the Atlantic and inspire a new generation of fans.

“For children, I think they have the opportunity to get hooked with what is the greatest game in the world,” he said.

“I hope that one day, some kid can say that, ‘I went to that game, and because of that I am a Major League Baseball player’.

“Watching it in person, seeing the sound, the smell, the feel, of a magical game, there’s nothing like that.”

The games will be played on June 29 and 30 next year.