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CORRECTION WINFIELD'S JOB TITLE Major League Baseball coaches Joe Torre of the Los Angeles Dodgers (L) and Vice President of the San Diego Padres Dave Winfield (R) during a press announcement in Beijing, 24 January 2008. China will host its first professional baseball games in March, when the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres meet in two exhibition contests, Major League Baseball said, taking place March 15-16 at the 12,000-seat Wukesong Baseball Field, which is the venue for baseball at the 2008 Olympic Games. AFP PHOTO/Frederic J. BROWN (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images)

MLB & MLBPA to visit Cuba

It has been announced that Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association will travel to Cuba from December 15-18. Joe Torre, MLB’s Chief Baseball Officer, and Dave Winfield, MLBPA’s Special Advisor to the Executive Director, will be joined by a group of current MLB players who have not yet been named. It will be MLB’s first visit to the country since the Orioles played an exhibition game against the Cuban National Team back in 1999, and just the second visit since 1959.

“Major League Baseball is very fortunate to have an opportunity to play a constructive role in the improvement of our country’s relations with Cuba, and it is particularly pleasing that our sport has a significant number of highly decorated ambassadors who can make an impression both on and off the field,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said. “Baseball represents a pivotal common bond in our cultures, and the impact that Cuban ballplayers have made on our game is undeniable. I am hopeful that this tour will represent the beginning of a longstanding relationship.”

The trip will start off with an opening press conference at Hotel Nacional, followed by the players visiting children’s clinics in Havana and Matanzas. There will also be a charity event held with the Caritas Cubana at a venue TBA.

“The Major League Baseball Players Association is proud to be joining Major League Baseball on this history making visit to Cuba,” said MLBPA Executive Director Tony Clark. “The Players will be thrilled to visit a country that shares our passion and enthusiasm for the sport of baseball, and we all hope that this visit marks the beginning of a relationship that will only grow stronger, on and off the baseball field.”

Commissioner Manfred has been hopeful for a few spring training games to be played on the island, and this historic visit makes that a real possibility for 2016.