NEW YORK -- The players' association agreed Friday to allow the Montreal Expos to move 22 home games to Puerto Rico next season.

The deal is subject to a joint inspection of San Juan's Hiram Bithorn Stadium by the union and the commissioner's office Dec. 16.

"Families will be allowed to travel with the Expos' players, they will be allowed access to the charter, and there will be additional allowances for both meal and travel,'' said Gene Orza, the union's No. 2 official.

The team's first homestand in Puerto Rico has games against the New York Mets (April 11-14), Atlanta (April 15-17) and Cincinnati (April 18-20).

The second homestand will have games against World Series champion Anaheim (June 3-5) and Texas (June 6-8), and the last includes Florida (Sept. 5-7) and the Chicago Cubs (Sept. 9-11).

Montreal hoped to move up the last series to Sept. 8-10, but it was reset Friday for the original dates. Because the Cubs are home the following day, the final game in Puerto Rico will have to be played in the afternoon.

"With the exception of maybe Chicago, the travel of the visiting teams is actually easier,'' Orza said.