Major League Baseball awards 2028 All-Star Game to San Francisco, which last hosted in 2007

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The All-Star Game is returning to San Francisco in two years.

Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred made the announcement Friday that the 2028 Midsummer Classic will be at Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants. The 2007 game was played in the picturesque waterfront ballpark, featuring Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki's famous inside-the-park home run that bounced off the tricky wall in right-center field.

“With its passionate fanbase, world-class ballpark, and rich baseball history, San Francisco will be an outstanding host for All-Star Week, which culminates in one of Major League Baseball’s best traditions, the Midsummer Classic,” Manfred said in a statement. "We look forward to bringing the excitement of All-Star Week and the celebration of baseball to the Bay Area.”

This will mark another major sporting event for the Bay Area recently after the Super Bowl and World Cup this year and the NBA All-Star Game in February 2025.

The Giants will host the Midsummer Classic for a fourth time overall after Candlestick Park held the first All-Star Game of the 1961 season and also baseball's summer showcase in 1984.

Oracle Park is set to become the eighth active ballpark to hold the All-Star Game multiple times, joining Fenway Park in 1946, 1961 and 1999, Wrigley Field (1947, 1962, 1990), Angel Stadium (1967, 1989, 2010), Dodger Stadium (1980, 2022), Progressive Field (1997, 2019), Coors Field (1998, 2021) and T-Mobile Park (2001, 2023).

Giants President and CEO Larry Baer said the club is “incredibly honored” and expressed his gratitude.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to showcase our organization, our city, and the incredible passion of our fans on baseball’s biggest summer stage,” he said in a statement.

“Hosting the All-Star Game is more than celebrating the game’s brightest stars, it’s a chance to highlight the people, neighborhoods, and culture that make our community so special. Few cities offer the unique combination of sports, culture, innovation, entertainment, and natural beauty that defines San Francisco. We look forward to welcoming players, families, fans, and visitors from around the world for a week that will create lasting memories and have a meaningful impact throughout our region.”

___

See AP’s full MLB coverage here