MLB Expansion Candidates

MLB expansion has been a popular topic of late.  The consensus is that MLB expanding to 32 teams is inevitable within the next few years.  Once the new CBA is signed, the A's move to Las Vegas is complete and the Rays' stadium situation is squared away, expansion should be the next thing on the docket.  So, it won't be until probably 2030 at the earliest.  But it's going to happen.  Rob Manfred has made it a priority before he retires.

The real question is where the two new teams will end up (it needs to be two teams for obvious reasons).  Plenty of cities have expressed interest, but clear frontrunners have emerged.  Manfred would prefer to have one team in the East and one in the West, and the reported favorites--Nashville and Salt Lake City--fit that bill.  But others are certainly in the mix.  And I'm not sure East and West is necessarily the best idea.

Let's start with Nashville.  There's a reason why Nashville has been considered a favorite from the get-go.  It's the 25th-largest market in the U.S. with a rapidly-growing population that already supports two Major League teams (the Titans and Predators).  They just built a new stadium for the Titans, so you'd figure an MLB expansion team would also get a brand new downtown stadium.  Nashville already an ownership group in place, too.  Most importantly, it would place a second team in the Deep South, which has long had only the Braves representing that entire region of the country.

Like the Braves in the Deep South, the Rockies are the only team to represent a large portion of the country.  Salt Lake City would place another team in the Mountain time zone who would have a natural rivalry with Colorado.  And they've welcomed the Mammoth with open arms after years of the Jazz being the only game in town.  Plus, the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees just opened a new stadium that was constructed to Major League specifications.

Salt Lake City isn't alone among Western cities.  Portland has long been mentioned as a possible expansion candidate, and any Portland team would obviously be a natural rival for the Mariners.  Sacramento, meanwhile, is saying "Don't forget about us."  They'll host the A's for one more season before Oaklamento officially relocates to Las Vegas, but California's capital wants a team of its own after that.

Other cities that have been mentioned include Montreal and Charlotte.  Montreal obviously has historical significance.  The Expos were the first team based in Canada before moving to Washington in 2005.  People have been clamoring for their return pretty much ever since.  Although, the Blue Jays like having Canada all to themselves.  So, they may be resistant to an Expos revival. 

And the case for Charlotte is very similar to the case for Nashville, which is a near lock.  Which is why I don't think Charlotte will eventually end up with a team.  I simply don't see MLB putting both new teams in the same general area.  Especially if Manfred wants to do East and West.  I hope that isn't set in stone, though.  Because putting one of the expansion teams in the West wouldn't work logistically.

When the expansion happens, they'll obviously have to realign the divisions.  It would make the most sense to have each league go from three divisions of five to four divisions of four.  Which actually works out perfectly.  Because there are currently eight teams in the Western portion of the country.  They could take Houston and Texas out, flip Arizona to the American League and have the two West divisions all set.

Putting one of the expansion franchises in the West, though, would make it nine teams for those eight spots.  In that scenario, Portland or Sacramento could take that AL West spot and let the Diamondbacks stay in the National League.  But it would also mean that the Rockies, as the furthest east of the Western teams, would be the odd man out.  They'd end up in a very awkwardly configured division just to even up the math.  And, most significantly, they wouldn't be in the same division as Utah.  Which would defeat the entire purpose!

Nashville obviously doesn't cause the same problem.  They could be in the NL South with the Braves, Marlins and Nationals or the AL South with the Texas teams and the Rays (or the Texas teams and the Royals).  Regardless of which league they're placed in, Nashville works in pretty naturally.  So does Charlotte, in fact.  But it wouldn't work with both of them.

Manfred has teased that when the expansion and realignment happens, the divisions might be organized geographically.  Of course, the divisions already are organized geographically, but some people took that to mean something much more drastic like eliminating the traditional AL and NL entirely.  Or even having multiple teams switch leagues.  Now, I don't think they'll do anything that severe.  While there are those who support it, the amount of pushback will be far greater and likely end up in Manfred abandoning that push for something far less extreme.

Even if MLB were to abandon the traditional leagues in a dramatic realignment when the two expansion teams come in, putting one team in the West still wouldn't make much sense logistically.  Then, you bring the Astros and Rangers back into the equation, but that's 11 teams, so it still doesn't work.  If you did, say, Utah and Sacramento, then you'd have 12, so it would.  But that's extremely unlikely.  Not when Nashville is such an obvious and clear favorite to secure an expansion franchise.

We're still a few years from MLB even approving the idea and beginning the expansion process.  And, once it starts, who knows how many cities will put in bids?  So, while Nashville and Salt Lake City may be viewed as favorites right now, there's no guarantee that they'll ultimately land the new teams.  And I'm sure many factors will come into play beyond just the idea of one team in the East and one team in the West.

Personally, I'd like to see Montreal join Nashville in the MLB expansion.  And not just because I'm one of those fans who waxes poetically about the Expos and think the city deserves another chance.  It's also because I think that makes more sense than adding a ninth team in the West.  Whether that's something MLB will consider is anybody's guess.  It absolutely should be, though.