loanDepot Park in Miami is the first MLB ballpark to host the Caribbean Series. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
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.