San Diego Padres and Mexico City Red Devils announce exhibition game at Petco Park on March 27

SAN DIEGO, CA - The San Diego Padres and the Mexico City Red Devils (Diablos Rojos Del Mexico) of the Mexican Baseball League announced the clubs will play an exhibition game at San Diego's Petco Park on Thursday, March 27, 2014. Padres' President and CEO Mike Dee as well as Diablos' President and General Manager Jorge Alum made the announcement.

"The Padres are thrilled to welcome Mexico's most prominent baseball team, the Diablos Rojos, to Petco Park on March 27," said Tom Seidler, a member of the Padres ownership group. "We look forward to starting the 2014 baseball season in San Diego with this unique game for fans from both sides of the border."

The most popular team in Mexican baseball, the Diablos Rojos were founded in 1940 and have won 15 Mexican League championships in their history, the most of any professional club in any sport in Mexico. 2014 will be the third consecutive year the Diablos Rojos have participated in an exhibition against a Major League club. They played in Arlington against the Texas Rangers, losing 14-3 in 2012 before dropping a 12-1 contest this past March.

Mexico City is owned by Alfredo Harp, who is also part of the ownership group of the Padres. The team is managed by former Padres catcher Miguel Ojeda, who played in San Diego from 2003-2005. 2014 will be Ojeda's second season as manager. The Red Devils went 58-51 in 2013 and have played in the postseason for 33 consecutive seasons. The club has forged working relationships in the past with several Major League teams including the Padres, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the New York Mets and the Rangers.

Tentative first pitch for the exhibition contest is 7:10 p.m. PT.