Padres to welcome Mexico City for exhibition game

SAN DIEGO -- The Padres announced Wednesday that they will play the Mexico City Red Devils on March 27 in an exhibition game at Petco Park.

"We're very excited about this game. ... Whenever you can play an international opponent and play them at home, it's exciting. Hopefully we'll get some fans from both sides of the border who will embrace the international flavor of the game," said Padres team president and CEO Mike Dee.

The Red Devils, or Diablos Rojos Del Mexico of the Mexican Baseball League, are the most popular team in the country. The team is owned by Alfredo Harp, who is part of the Padres' ownership group.

The Red Devils have won 15 Mexican League championships, the most of any professional club in any sport in Mexico.

Could that eventually mean more games like this between the two teams or a bigger push into Mexico?

"The strategy with Mexico is evolving, but we're going to have one," Dee said. "This is an example and a chance to work with Mr. Harp, one of our owners, to bring this together. There's more to come. ... We're working on a lot of different ideas and plans, but this is a significant step."

This will be the third consecutive seasons the Red Devils have participated in an exhibition game against a Major League team. They played the Rangers in each of the last two years, dropping a 14-3 decision in 2012 and a 12-1 contest last March.

The team is managed by former Padres catcher Miguel Ojeda, who played for San Diego from 2003-05. He led the Red Devils to a 58-51 finish in his first season in 2013.

The tentative first pitch for the game is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. PT. Ticket information will be available at a later date.