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The MLB commissioner Rob Manfred launched the possibility of breaking American and national leagues and the realignment teams based on geography.
Manfred appeared on the broadcast of ESPN of Seattle Mariners and New York Mets Game, which took place in front of Baseball players from Little League in Williamsport, in Pennsylvania.
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Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred announces Major League Baseball and Chicago Cubs host the All Star 2027 match in Wrigley Field. (David Banks / Imagn Images)
“In my mind, I think that if we extend, it offers us an opportunity to realign geographically. I think we could see a lot of wear on our players in terms of travel,” said Manfred. “And I think that our format in the playoffs would be more attractive for entities like ESPN because you would play in the east, outside the west. And this time slot at 10 am where we sometimes get lost in Anaheim, it would be two teams from the west coast.
“I think the owners realize that there is a demand for a baseball of major leagues in many big cities. And we have the opportunity to do something good around this.”
Manfred said he hoped that two teams were selected before his retirement in 2029. MLB believes that Nashville, Tennessee and Salt Lake City could be the next cities extension, according to USA Today.
The players and coaches of Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate after winning the World MLB 2024 series against New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. (Vincent Carchietta / Imagn images)
Baseball fans were not exactly delighted to hear Manfred talk about realignment.
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We do not know what the realignment would look like. Former Director General of MLB, Jim Bowden launched an idea in May 2023.
He predicted in an article in The Athletic that MLB could move to a format of the eastern and west conference “made up of four geographically aligned divisions each. Four teams per division, 16 teams per conference”.
The Eastern Conference Would Consist of the East Division (Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies), North Division (Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays), Mid-Atlantic Division (Baltimore Orioles, Team Expand Pittsburgh Pirates, Washington Nationals) and Southeast Division (Atlanta Braves, Miami Marlins, Expansion and Rays de Tampa Bay).
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, before the fourth MLB 2024 World Series match between Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. (Brad Penner / Imagn images)
The Western Conference would include the Midwest division (Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers and Minnesota Twins), Southwest Division (Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers), Pacific Coast Division (Colorado Rockies, Athletic Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres).
