MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred Speculates On Future Expansion, Realignment Plans
Aug 19, 2025, 8:20 PM
CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 19: A general view of Wrigley Field at sunset as the Chicago Cubs take on the San Diego Padres on June 19, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – It’s no secret that Major League Baseball is eyeing expansion as a way to increase exposure for the National Pastime.
Could MLB expansion plans clear the way for a dramatic realignment, possibly eliminating the National and American Leagues in favor of an NBA-style East/West alignment? MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred recently suggested expansion could lead to an overhaul of the current system.
Manfred joined the ESPN Sunday Night Baseball broadcast crew during the New York Mets vs. Seattle Mariners game on Sunday, August 17.
“The owners realize that there’s a demand for Major League Baseball with a lot of great cities,” Manfred said on the live broadcast. “We have an opportunity to do something good around that expansion process.”
Rob Manfred said during last night's Little League Classic that he is interested in expansion and geographical realignment for MLB.
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Adding two teams and bringing the number of MLB teams to 32 is often assumed to be the next course of action for a sport that has already undergone drastic change in recent seasons.
Two additional teams would force some divisional realignment, but the Commissioner suggested realignment based on geography could help keep players fresh over a 162-game season.
“In my mind, I think if we expand, it provides us with an opportunity to geographically realign,” Manfred began when asked about his future plans. “I think we could save a lot of wear and tear on our players in terms of travel.”
The Commissioner also speculated that such a plan would be more appealing to national networks and scheduling when compared to the current model.
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“I think our postseason format would be more appealing for entities like ESPN because you’d be playing up out of the east, out of the west,” Manfred stated. “That 10 o’clock time slot, where we sometimes get Boston, Anaheim, would be two West Coast teams. That 10 o’clock slot that’s a problem for us sometimes becomes a real opportunity for our West Coast audience.”
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
