NEW YORK -- America's pastime might be poised to make its strongest push toward establishing a footprint in the United Kingdom.
Major League Baseball is discussing playing a two-game series in London in 2018, and the news was met with excitement by members of the Great Britain team competing in this week's World Baseball Classic qualifier in Brooklyn.
British manager Liam Carroll is strongly hoping the plan comes to fruition, and he believes such an event could be a significant step in raising the profile of the sport in the UK.
"It would be amazing," Carroll said. "It's something we're really hoping for. There had been rumors that it would happen as soon as 2017. Then [the story] kind of went cold. So to see the story of the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, coming out to New York and meeting with MLB has got us really excited for that again."
Khan threw out the ceremonial first pitch at a New York Mets game on Sunday, and the Evening Standard reported that he met with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred to discuss bringing major league games to London in 2018.
"I'm keen to make London the sporting capital of the world," Khan told the Standard. "I've been really encouraged by my discussions with the MLB. I've told them there are huge baseball fans in London, all around the UK and in Europe."
Carroll said he has heard soccer stadiums discussed as possible host venues, but it's his understanding that the renovated Olympic Stadium is the likely destination. He estimates that venue could accommodate about 50,000 spectators when configured for baseball.
Longtime MLB relief pitcher Trevor Hoffman, who serves as bullpen coach for the British WBC team, sees MLB games in the UK as a logical step toward expanding baseball awareness abroad.
"I think it would be great," Hoffman said. "I know Liam and the staff has put in a lot of time to try and develop the grass roots and bring baseball to the forefront as a sport. It's something that's going to take time, but I think it would be great to go over to Europe and show off the game of baseball."
Hall of Fame shortstop Barry Larkin, who is managing the Brazilian team at the WBC qualifier, echoes the sentiments about growing the game but said the process of playing abroad is a difficult one for athletes who already play a 162-game schedule in a 181-day window.
"I think it would be fantastic in terms of growing the game internationally," Larkin said. "But logistically, that's a long, long way to go to play some baseball games."
Larkin said the most realistic scenario would be similar to what MLB did when it opened the 2014 regular season in Sydney, Australia. That year, the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers were given several days off before and after playing two games abroad. Both teams then resumed the regular season a week later after several exhibition games.
As a member of the San Diego Padres, Hoffman played regular-season games in Monterrey, Mexico, in 1996 and 1998, and in Hawaii in 1997. He was also with the Padres when they played an exhibition series in China in 2008. He understands the difficulties involved in holding such events but believes the benefits far outweigh the negatives.
"I think you have to have that growth mentality," Hoffman said. "You re growing the game in different parts of the world. I understand it does conflict with some guys' routines, but I think having done it and looked back, it's the opportunity of a lifetime."
Ultimately, if the myriad details can be worked out, MLB games in London would signify a landmark event in the mind of Great Britain second baseman Richard Klijn, who grew up in Cark, Cumbria.
"That would be something for English people to really think baseball is more than just a hobby," Klijn said. "It would be huge."