GLENDALE, Ariz. -- New Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred met with Dodgers players on Monday morning as part of his spring tour, familiarizing and introducing himself to several teams throughout the league. Among the topics Manfred discussed with reporters was Dodger Stadium hosting an All-Star Game, something that hasn't happened since 1980.
"I've had some preliminary conversations with Stan Kasten about an All-Star Game in LA. I'm aware of what the facts in terms of how long it's been since there has been a game [in Los Angeles]," Manfred said. "Obviously, a market like LA, you can't ask for a better showcase for the game, so more to follow on that one."
Since the Dodgers last hosted the midsummer classic, only the Rays, Marlins and Nationals haven't hosted an All-Star Game. Miami will host the 2017 All-Star Game, the Rays have only existed since 1998, and the Nationals have only been in Washington D.C. since 2005, and their predecessors in Montreal hosted the All-Star Game in 1982.
The 2015 All-Star Game will be played in Cincinnati, followed by 2016 in San Diego, meaning at least nine cities will have hosted two midsummer classics since the Dodgers last did, though it should also be noted that in each of those nine cities (Cleveland, Minnesota, Houston, Anaheim, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Cincinnati, San Diego and the White Sox in Chicago) the games will have been at two different ballparks.
With the next three games in National League cities, it seems fair to assume the American League would get firs crack at 2018, meaning the earliest possible time Dodger Stadium could host would be 2019, and even that might be a stretch.
Manfred was asked about the idea of making teams and cities bid on the hosting of All-Star Games, and didn't exactly shy away from it.
"We are in a situation where we have multiple teams interested in having All-Star Games in given years," Manfred said. "We think we can put a process together that makes sure we get the city that's going to be the best host for the game."