As Major League Baseball leaves Seattle following All-Star Week, a lasting gift remains in South Seattle to continue the week’s legacy forever. As part of Major League Baseball’s All-Star Week Celebrations, they broke ground on the renovation of the baseball fields at Rainier Playfield. This project is part of MLB’s #LegacyFields Legacy Initiative, which seeks to create lasting impact within All-Star host cities.

“We feel a special obligation to make sure there’s no economic barrier to any kid playing baseball,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said.

The ceremony featured Manfred, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, and Mariners representatives Fred Rivera and Dave Sims. There were also baseball and softball players from the community present to participate in drills and games with both MLB representatives and mascots from the Pirates and Reds.

“This is a special day,” Rivera said. “We’re quite proud to be here and look forward to the results of our investment.”

The construction project will provide South Seattle with a revamped, top-of-the-line baseball field for youth teams to play on as the league continues their efforts to grow the game. The field itself sits within one of the city’s most diverse zip codes, and has touched many of our city’s residents.

“We want to make sure no matter where kids are, they have an opportunity to play what we think is the greatest game in the world,” Manfred said.