New-look Los Angeles Dodgers depart for world tour with MVPs and superstars in tow

PHOENIX — The Los Angeles Dodgers, surrounded by suitcases and boxes throughout the clubhouse, cleaned out their lockers, double-checked to make sure they had their passports, and prepared for the longest flight of their lives.

After playing their final game of spring training Wednesday, were instructed to be at their spring-training complex at 6:30 a.m. Thursday, board buses at 7 to travel to Sky Harbor Airport at 9 a.m. for a 6,277-mile flight to Seoul, Korea. They’re scheduled to land at 2:30 p.m. PT Friday, where they will open perhaps their most-anticipated season in franchise history on March 20 in the Gocheok Sky Dome against the San Diego Padres.

This is a team that spent a record $1.1 billion in free agency, building a team that could be the envy of baseball, filled with future Hall of Famers, MVPs and All-Stars.