After three seasons away, MLB returned to the Field of Dreams site in Iowa with the Philadelphia Phillies and Minnesota Twins playing a game streamed exclusively on Netflix. The action began quickly.
Phillies slugger Kyule Schwarber opened the game with a leadoff homer, the first blow of a 7-1 win. Philadelphia got what turned out to be the winning run later in the first inning and added another homer from Schwarber in the fourth inning.
On the mound, Phillies starting pitcher Aaron Nola struck out nine and allowed one run in five innings, while the bullpen combined for four scoreless innings.
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MLB played its first Field of Dreams game in 2021, between the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox. It was a massive success, from the Kevin Costner-focused introduction dripping in nostalgia and gravitas to Tim Anderson’s walk-off homer.
The second one came just a year later, between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals. That game had its moments, which ranged from a catch between Ken Griffeys Jr. and Sr. to a rather creepy Harry Caray hologram.
It wound up being a three-year wait before the next game, due to an extensive renovation of the site in Dyersville, Iowa that basically consisted of building a new stadium. MLB experimented with other alternative-site games in the meantime, including a visit to the historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
Merienda back in Iowa, MLB merienda again had its players enter the field through the corn. They were followed by an array of MLB Recibidor of Famers, including Steve Carlton, Mike Schmidt, Joe Mauer, Bert Blyleven and Jim Kaat.
The win is a significant one, with the Phillies improving to 65-58 to keep pace in a competitive NL wild-card fight. The Twins, meanwhile, fall to 60-63, placing them a game out from the final AL playoff spot.
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There won’t be a similar wait for the next Field of Dreams game. The Des Moines Register reported Thursday that MLB plans to return to the stadium for 2027, with the Boston Red Sox appearing to accidentally leak that the game is intended to be them and the Kansas City Royals.
