loanDepot Park in Miami is the first MLB ballpark to host the Caribbean Series. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
By Matthew Tallarini
World Baseball Network
This is the First Time At An MLB Stadium, But Not the First Time In the Magic City – This year, the 2024 Caribbean Series will be held at a Major League Baseball stadium for the first time, as well the first time the series will be played indoors.
The home of Major League Baseball’s Miami Marlins, loanDepot Park, will host the Caribbean Series from Feb. 1-9.
This will be the third time that Miami has hosted the Caribbean Series, and the first time since the 1991 event was held at the now-demolished Bobby Maduro Miami Stadium. The 1990 tournament at the Orange Bowl, which is now the site of loanDepot Park, was the first time the event was held in Miami and also the first time it was held outside of Latin America.
The teams that last played in the Caribbean Series on American soil in 1991 were the champions in the the Tigres del Licey from the Dominican Republic, the Potros de Tijuana from México, the Cangrejeros de Santurce from Puerto Rico, and the Cardenales de Lara from Venezuela.
The Dominican Republic won both championships in Miami at the Caribbean Series in 1990 with Leones del Escogido and the Tigres del Licey in 1991.
The Caribbean Series Has a Long History – The Caribbean Series began in 1949 in Havana, Cuba at Estadio Latinoamericano, and has seen many of the all-time greats from Major League Baseball and Latin America.
The Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and Mexico are all part of the Confederación de Béisbol Profesional del Caribe, which has operated the Caribbean Series since 1949.
Nicaragua, Panama, and Curacao are all invitees that will play at the 2024 Caribbean Series.
The tournament was once held with four teams from 1949-60 prior to the U.S. trade embargo in Cuba that seized the operation of the event until the 1970 Caribbean Series.
The countries that played in the Caribbean series from 1949-60 were Panama, Cuba, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico. The Dominican Republic joined the Confederación de Béisbol Profesional del Caribe in 1970.
The 1970 Caribbean Series was held in Caracas, Venezuela, at Estadio Universitario after the tournament had a decade-long hiatus. Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic participated in the 1970 event, and Mexico joined the CBPC for the 1971 Caribbean Series in San Juan, Puerto Rico at Hiram Bithorn Stadium.
The Dominican Republic has won the most championships at the Caribbean Series with 22 titles, and the Tigres del Licey of LIDOM have the most Caribbean Series championships of any club, with 11. Puerto Rico has won the second-most titles with 16. Mexico has won the Caribbean Series nine times. Cuba has won the eight Caribbean Series championships. Venezuela has won the tournament seven times. Panama has won two Caribbean Series titles, and Colombia has won the championship once.
Stars Have Shined At the Caribbean Series – The Caribbean Series has showcased both current and future talent from Major League Baseball, and has had an incredible impact on players who went on to be inducted into Cooperstown or that have been on the ballot in the National Baseball Hall of Fame due to their success at the highest level in professional baseball.
Players such as Pedro Martinez, Willie Mays, Edgar Martinez, David Ortiz, and Ivan Rodriguez, as well as many other legends have played in the Caribbean Series prior to and at the peak of their careers in MLB.
Seven Teams In This Year’s Event – The participating club teams at the 2024 Caribbean Series will be the Curacao Suns from the 2023 Curacao Professional Baseball league, the Federación Nicaragüense de Béisbol Asociada from Nicaragua, the 2024 champion of the Panamá ProBeis league, the Federales de Chiriquí, the 2023-24 Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente champion Criollos de Caguas, the 2023-24 Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacífico champion Naranjeros de Hermosillo, the 2023-24 champion Tigres del Licey of the Liga de Béisbol Profesional de la República Dominicana, and the 2023-24 Liga Venezolana de Beisbol Profesional champion Tiburones de La Guaria.
One team will sit out each day in pool play from Feb. 1-7. This is the first time in the history of the Caribbean Series that participating teams will have an off day during pool play.
Nicaragua Making First Appearance – Nicaragua will participate for the first time at the Caribbean Series in 2024 along with Curacao returning for a second consecutive year and Panama playing in its sixth straight event.
Nicaragua will not have the winner of their 2023-24 Liga de Béisbol Profesional Nacional regular season represent the nation in Miami at the 2024 Caribbean Series.
Guess Who’s Back? – Panama returned to the Caribbean Series as an invitee in 2019 after not participating in the tournament since 1960. Curacao is returning to the Caribbean Series for the second consecutive year.
They’ve Been Here Before – The Naranjeros de Hermosillo organization was the first club team from Mexico to participate in the Caribbean Series in 1971, and will participate in the 2024 tournament in Miami.
The Naranjeros de Hermosillo franchise will be in Miami for the second time, after they played at the 1990 Caribbean Series at the Orange Bowl, where they went 1-5, finishing in last place under manager Tim Johnson. The three other teams that participated in the 1990 event were the Senadores de San Juan from Puerto Rico, the Leones del Caracas from Venezuela, and the Leones del Escogido the Dominican Republic.
The Tigres del Licey will play in Miami for the third time in the club’s history when they take the field on Feb. 1 against the 2023-24 LVBP champion.
The Tigres del Licey will play in the United States for the second time this winter, having played at Citi Field in November at the Titanes del Caribe event. They were swept by the Aguilas Cibaenas in the three-game exhibition series.
The Tigres del Licey also played at the Serie de las Americas event in 2015 at loanDepot Park, the only year that event was held. The Aguilas Cibaenas of LIDOM played in the Serie de Las Americas along with the two LVBP teams, the Cardenales de Lara and Navegantes del Magallanes. The Tigres del Licey took third place at the Serie de las Américas, beating Navegantes del Magallanes 4-2.
The Serie de las Américas event in 2015 was also hosted by the Confederación de Béisbol Profesional del Caribe.
On Television En Vivo – The Caribbean Series will be televised in the United States on ESPN Deportes, with commentary in Spanish.
2024 Caribbean Series Schedule
All Games At loanDepot Park, Miami, Florida.
All times Eastern Standard Time.
All of the 2024 Caribbean Series Games Will Be Televised On ESPN Deportes
Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024
10:30 a.m. – Nicaragua vs. Puerto Rico
3:30 p.m. – Curacao vs. Mexico
8:30 p.m. – Venezuela vs. Dominican Republic
Friday, Feb. 2, 2024
10:30 a.m. – Panama vs. Curacao
3:30 p.m. – Dominican Republic vs. Nicaragua
8:30 p.m. – Puerto Rico vs. Mexico
Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024
10:30 a.m. – Venezuela vs. Curacao
3:30 p.m. – Mexico vs. Panama
8:30 p.m. – Dominican Republic vs. Puerto Rico
Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024
10:30 a.m. – Panama vs. Nicaragua
3:30 p.m. – Puerto Rico vs. Venezuela
8:30 p.m. – Mexico vs. Dominican Republic
Monday, Feb. 5, 2024
10:30 a.m. – Nicaragua vs. Curacao
3:30 p.m. – Venezuela vs. Mexico
8:30 p.m. – Puerto Rico vs. Panama
Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024
10:30 a.m. – Mexico vs. Nicaragua
3:30 p.m. – Curacao vs. Dominican Republic
8:30 p.m. – Panama vs. Venezuela
Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024
10:30 a.m. – Curacao vs. Puerto Rico
3:30 p.m. – Dominican Republic vs. Panama
8:30 p.m. – Nicaragua vs. Venezuela
Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024
3 p.m. – Semifinal No. 1
8 p.m. – Semifinal No. 2
Friday, Feb. 9, 2024
3 p.m. – Third-place Game
8 p.m. – Championship Game