Rob Manfred Hints at MLB Realignment if it Undergoes Expansion

The American and National Leagues might soon be gone as we know them. 

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said that if expansion takes place in the near future, the league will likely look to realign teams based on geography.

“I think [expansion and realignment] are associated, in my thoughts,” Manfred said Sunday on ESPN’s broadcast of the Little League Classic. “I believe if we broaden, it offers us with a possibility to geographically realign. I believe we may save a whole lot of put on and tear on our gamers by way of journey. And I believe our postseason format can be much more interesting for entities like ESPN, since you’d be enjoying out of the East and out of the West.”

Manfred did not explicitly element what realignment would appear like, however he continued to emphasise the thought of groups which are nearer collectively enjoying extra video games in opposition to each other.

“That 10 o’clock timeslot the place we generally get Boston-Anaheim can be two West Coast groups,” Manfred mentioned. “That 10 o’clock slot that is an issue for us generally turns into an actual alternative for our West Coast viewers. 

“I believe the homeowners notice that there is demand for Main League Baseball. We’re in a whole lot of nice cities. We now have the chance to do one thing good round that growth course of.”

MLB has used a geographically-based realignment concept in current reminiscence. Whereas MLB did not realign divisions, it had a geographically-based schedule for the 60-game 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The American and Nationwide Leagues remained in place, however groups solely confronted division rivals and interleague video games in opposition to groups from the corresponding division (AL and NL East, AL and NL Central, AL and NL West) throughout the common season. 

Contemplating Manfred’s feedback, the 2020 season could possibly be a suggestion for what’s to come back if growth and realignment have been to happen. It may also imply that MLB equally divides its two leagues because the NBA and NHL divide their two conferences.

As for growth, Manfred has said prior to now that he’d prefer to see two groups added to MLB earlier than he retires as commissioner in 2029. A handful of cities have been speculated as growth candidates lately, however MLB believes the strongest two candidates for growth are Nashville and Salt Lake Metropolis, USA Today reported in July.

Enlargement would carry the full variety of groups in MLB to 32, probably necessitating some form of divisional realignment. If it does occur, the league may both do what the NFL does and have eight divisions of 4 groups or comply with the NHL’s path and have 4 divisions of eight groups.

MLB hasn’t expanded because it added the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Rays in 1998. 

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