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Dodgers, Diamondbacks to open 2014 season in Australia

Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly and bench coach Trey Hillman share a laugh at Dodger Stadium.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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The Dodgers will open the 2014 season in Australia.

Their opponents?

The Arizona Diamondbacks, with whom they brawled Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium.

The season-opening games are to be played on March 22 and 23 at the Sydney Cricket Ground, according to a person familiar with the plans who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the event hasn’t yet been announced by Major League Baseball.

The games will be the first Major League Baseball games played in Australia. MLB has semi-regularly held season openers abroad as a way to spread its brand internationally.

The Colorado Rockies and San Diego Padres opened their 1999 seasons in Mexico.

Since then, MLB has held four season-openers in Japan. The Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners played there most recently, in 2012.

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