NEW YORK — Major League Baseball (MLB) today announced that its ambitious initiative, the 'World Baseball Party,' has successfully cemented baseball's status as a truly global sport. The declaration comes after what sources describe as a "resounding success" in expanding the sport's international footprint, primarily through the enthusiastic participation of a newly identified trio of fans in non-traditional baseball markets.

"We always knew baseball was America's pastime, but now, thanks to the World Baseball Party, it's the planet's pastime," stated Commissioner Rob Manfred, speaking from a podium adorned with a globe wearing a tiny baseball cap. "The data is clear: our outreach efforts have resulted in three distinct individuals, one in Luxembourg, one in Bhutan, and another in a remote part of Patagonia, expressing mild interest in the sport. That's a 300% increase in global engagement for those specific regions!"

According to an MLB spokesperson, Ms. Brenda Finch, the 'Party' involved sending out a single, slightly crumpled baseball to each of these nations, accompanied by a pamphlet detailing the infield fly rule. "The response was overwhelming," Finch reported. "One gentleman in Bhutan reportedly picked up the ball. We consider that a home run for global relations."

Critics, primarily the entire rest of the world, questioned the methodology. "I thought it was just a rock with stitches," admitted Patrice Dubois, the newly minted Luxembourgian baseball enthusiast. "My cat played with it for a bit." Despite such testimonials, MLB remains undeterred, already planning the 'Intergalactic Baseball Bash' for 2025.

Sources close to the league suggest the next phase involves teaching aliens how to chew tobacco and spit sunflower seeds, ensuring universal appeal.