Commissioner Rob Manfred caused a bit of a stir recently when he said during an ESPN telecast that expansion and realignment could be on the table soon.<\/p>\n
That led to a number of suggestions<\/a> and ideas<\/a> about what baseball’s league and divisional structure might look like in the future, with geography and traditional rivalries driving much of that discussion.<\/p>\n kAmqFE E96C6VD 2?@E96C 724E@C E92E \ud83d\ude15 E96@CJ 42? 36 FD65 E@ C6@C82?:K6 E96 DA@CEi >2C<6E D:K6]k^Am<\/p>\n kAm(:E9 2 4@==64E:G6 32C82:?:?8 7:89E =@@>:?8[ 4@>A6E:E:G6 32=2?46 \u2014 2?5 9@H E@ :>AC@G6 :E \u2014 \ud83d\ude00 =:<6=J E@ 36 2 >2;@C A@:?E @7 4@?E6?E:@?] x7 @H?6CD AFCDF6 2 D2=2CJ 42A[ E92E 4@F=5 =625 E@ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^C@3\\>2?7C65\\3CJ46\\92CA6C\\A9:==:6D\\f`d2df7a_7fhcgd72hgdbgde`346_f`fQmA2CE:4F=2C=J ?2DEJ ?68@E:2E:@?Dk^2m 2?5 6G6? E96 A@DD:3:=:EJ @7 2 H@C< DE@AA286] qFE H92E :7 J@F 4@F=5 249:6G6 8C62E6C 4@>A6E:E:G6 32=2?46 E9C@F89 C62=:8?>6?E \u2013 3J 92G:?8 EH@ 5:G:D:@?D @7 =2C86\\>2C<6E 7C2?49:D6D 2?5 EH@ @7 D>2==\\>2C<6E E62>Dnk^Am<\/p>\n kAmr@?D:56C E96 7@==@H:?8 AC@A@D2=[ H9:49 2EE6>AED E@ 5:G:56 E62>D :?E@ 86@8C2A9:4 4@?76C6?46D[ H:E9 5:G:D:@?D 32D65 >@DE=J @? >2C<6E C2?<:?8D 7C@> 32D632==VD 4FCC6?E 4@==64E:G6 32C82:?:?8 28C66>6?E] {6EVD 2DDF>6 7@C E96 D2<6 @7 E9:D 6I6C4:D6 E92E E96 ?6H 6IA2?D:@? E62>D H@F=5 36 \ud83d\ude15 }2D9G:==6 2?5 $2=E {2<6 r:EJ \u2014 2?5 H6V== DE2CE 3@E9 @7 E96> \ud83d\ude15 2 D>2==\\>2C<6E 5:G:D:@?]k^Am<\/p>\n k9bmkDEC@?8mtp$%t#} r~}ut#t}rtk^DEC@?8mk^9bm<\/p>\n kAm\u2022 kDEC@?8mq:8 |2C<6E s:G:D:@?ik^DEC@?8m *2?<66D[ |6ED[ q=F6 y2JD[ }2E:@?2=D[ !9:==:6D[ #65 $@I[ qC2G6D[ %H:?Dk^Am<\/p>\n kAm\u2022 kDEC@?8m$>2== |2C<6E s:G:D:@?ik^DEC@?8m #2JD[ %:86CD[ |2C=:?D[ ~C:@=6D[ vF2C5:2?D[ r2C5:?2=D[ !:C2E6D[ #65Dk^Am<\/p>\n k9bmkDEC@?8m(t$%t#} r~}ut#t}rtk^DEC@?8mk^9bm<\/p>\n kAm\u2022 kDEC@?8mq:8 |2C<6E s:G:D:@?ik^DEC@?8m p?86=D[ s@586CD[ rF3D[ (9:E6 $@I[ v:2?ED[ #2?86CD[ pDEC@D[ |2C:?6CDk^Am<\/p>\n kAm\u2022 kDEC@?8m$>2== |2C<6E s:G:D:@?ik^DEC@?8m pE9=6E:4D[ s:2>@?5324<\/p>\n kAm%96 E@A E9C66 E62>D \ud83d\ude15 6249 5:G:D:@? 4@F=5 >2<6 E96 A@DED62D@?[ H:E9 5:G:D:@? 492>AD 62C?:?8 3J6D] }@H 6G6? :7 E96 |6ED @FEDA6?5 E96 |2C=:?D 3J 2 9F86 >2C8:?[ :EVD DE:== ?@E 4=62C H9:49 J@FV5 C2E96C 36 :7 E96 8@2= \ud83d\ude00 E@ >2<6 E96 A=2J@77D @? 2 C68F=2C 32D:D]k^Am<\/p>\n kAm%96C6 H@F=5 46CE2:?=J 36 5C2H324D H@F=5 4@>A=2:? E96 D>2==\\>2C<6E E62>D 92G6 :E E@@ 62DJ] p?5 :7 E62>D A=2J >@C6 82>6D H:E9:? E96:C 5:G:D:@?D[ E96 D>2==\\>2C<6E E62>D >:89E 7246 2? 2EE6?52?46 5C@A :7 }6H *@C< 2?5 {@D p?86=6D 5@?VE 4@>6 E@ E@H? 2D @7E6?]k^Am<\/p>\n kAmp=D@[ 2E =62DE @? A2A6C[ E9:D 7@C>2E 4@F=5 =625 E@ >@C6 A=2J@77 >:D>2E496D] qFE H6VG6 D66? 6?@F89 A@DED62D@? 32D632== E@ @H E92E 2?JE9:?8 42? 92AA6? \ud83d\ude15 2 D9@CE D6C:6D \u2014 2?5 :7 J@FVC6 2 E62> =:<6 !:EED3FC89 @C z2?D2D r:EJ[ E9:D D6EFA 4@F=5 AC@G:56 2 36EE6C A2E9 E@ 4@?E6?E:@?[ H:E9@FE 2 5:G:D:G6 AFD9 7@C 2 D2=2CJ 42A]k^Am<\/p>\n k9bmkDEC@?8m%C:G:2 E:>6k^DEC@?8mk^9bm<\/p>\n kAm%96 =2DE >2;@C C62=:8?>6?E E@@< A=246 27E6C E96 `hhb D62D@?[ H96? 32D632== H6?E 7C@> 7@FC 5:G:D:@?D E@ D:I] %92E >@DE=J :?G@=G65 >@G:?8 E62>D 7C@> E96 t2DE 2?5 (6DE :?E@ E96 ?6H=J 4C62E65 r6?EC2= 5:G:D:@?D \u2014 3FE @?6 4=F3 DH:E4965 5:G:D:@?D H:E9@FE >@G:?8 :?E@ E96 r6?EC2=] (9@ H2D E92Enk^Am<\/p>\n k9bmkDEC@?8m{:?6 @7 E96 H66<\/p>\n kAm!9:=256=A9:2VD #2?86C $F\u00e1C6K 2==@H65 E9C66 9:ED \ud83d\ude15 D6G6? D4@C6=6DD :??:?8D 2?5 DECF4< @FE 2 42C66C\\9:89 “ \ud83d\ude15 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^A9:==:6D\\?2E:@?2=D\\D4@C6\\7cchhfaa6dbgh6g5gd`6f4cdd635ebhfQm2 b\\a H:?k^2m @G6C (2D9:?8E@? @? $F?52J] xE H2D ;FDE H92E E96 !9:==:6D ?66565 27E6C =@D:?8 246 +24< (966=6C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^A9:==:6D\\H966=6C\\3=@@5\\4=@E\\bd2cdh_gag`a2_c5_e2f57`7bd`43hcbQm7@C E96 D62D@?k^2m 3642FD6 @7 E9@C24:4 @FE=6E DJ?5C@>6] !9:=256=A9:2 =625D E96 }{ t2DE 3J D6G6? 82>6D]k^Am<\/p>\n k9bmkDEC@?8mr@>6324< @7 E96 H66<\/p>\n kAms@H? `_\\c \ud83d\ude15 E96 D6G6?E9 :??:?8 %F6D52J ?:89E[ pE=2?E2 D4@C65 7:G6 CF?D \ud83d\ude15 E92E :??:?8[ E96? E@@< E96 =625 @? sC2<6 q2=5H:?VD EH@\\CF? D:?8=6 \ud83d\ude15 E96 6:89E9 2?5 362E E96 r9:428@ (9:E6 $@I “\\`_] %96 qC2G6D 925 2 H:? AC@323:=:EJ @7 `]cT 2E E96 DE2CE @7 E96 D6G6?E9 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^32D632==D2G2?E]>=3]4@>^82>67665n52E6la_ad\\_g\\`hU2>Aj492CE%JA6lA:E49U2>Aj=686?5%JA6lA:E49}2>6U2>AjA=2J6C%JA6lA:E496CU2>Aj:??:?8lU2>Aj4@F?ElU2>AjA:E49w2?5lU2>Aj32E$:56lU2>Aj56D4u:=E6ClU2>AjAEu:=E6ClU2>AjC6DF=Eu:=E6ClU2>Aj97lH:?!C@323:=:EJU2>AjDA@CEx5l`U2>Aj=:G6p3lRffeegfQm244@C5:?8 E@ q2D632== $2G2?Ek^2m]k^Am<\/p>\n k9bmkDEC@?8m%C:G:2 2?DH6Ck^DEC@?8mk^9bm<\/p>\n kAm%96 qC2G6D >@G65 7C@> E96 }{ (6DE E@ E96 }{ t2DE \u2014 2=E9@F89 :E >2J 92G6 366? >@C6 244FC2E6 86@8C2A9:42==J E@ =62G6 !:EED3FC89 \ud83d\ude15 E96 t2DE 2?5 AFE pE=2?E2 \ud83d\ude15 E96 r6?EC2=] !2CE @7 E96 C62D@? E96 !:C2E6D H6C6 H:==:?8 E@ >@G6 E@ E96 }{ r6?EC2= H2D E@ 36 H:E9 E62>D @7 4@>A2C23=6 >2C<6E D:K6]k^Am<\/p>\n k9C ^m<\/p>\n kAmp! |{qi k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^>=3Qm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^>=3k^2mk^Am<\/p>\n
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Commissioner Rob Manfred caused a bit of a stir recently when he said during an ESPN telecast that…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":271506,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2288],"tags":[2309,5,2316,2323,3842,2437,24115,2313,42327,2325,33413,19,2310,2328,2304,21816,2318,5487,2308,2319,3637,4,256,2305,2303,15733,61,25,3841,2327,2321,185,3844,2339,2324,2462,3843,35996,68,2311],"class_list":{"0":"post-271505","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mlb-postseason","8":"tag-ball-and-bat-games","9":"tag-baseball","10":"tag-baseball-competitions","11":"tag-baseball-events","12":"tag-baseball-governing-bodies","13":"tag-baseball-leagues","14":"tag-baseball-organizations","15":"tag-baseball-playoffs-and-champions","16":"tag-baseball-realignment","17":"tag-baseball-teams","18":"tag-commissioner-of-baseball","19":"tag-major-league-baseball","20":"tag-major-league-baseball-competitions","21":"tag-major-league-baseball-playoffs","22":"tag-major-league-baseball-postseason","23":"tag-major-league-baseball-rivalries","24":"tag-major-league-baseball-seasons","25":"tag-major-league-baseball-spring-training","26":"tag-major-league-baseball-teams","27":"tag-major-league-baseball-teams-seasons","28":"tag-men","29":"tag-mlb","30":"tag-mlb-baseball","31":"tag-mlb-playoffs","32":"tag-mlb-postseason","33":"tag-nashville-sounds","34":"tag-new-york-mets","35":"tag-philadelphia-phillies","36":"tag-professional-sports-leagues","37":"tag-seasons-in-american-sport","38":"tag-seasons-in-baseball","39":"tag-sports","40":"tag-sports-clubs-and-teams","41":"tag-sports-competitions","42":"tag-sports-events","43":"tag-sports-leagues","44":"tag-sports-organizations","45":"tag-sports-organizations-of-the-united-states","46":"tag-tampa-bay-rays","47":"tag-team-sports"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/271505","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=271505"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/271505\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/271506"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=271505"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=271505"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=271505"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}