On Monday, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred spoke on his expansion plans by revealing which three cities are the frontrunners for new franchises.
Since the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Arizona Diamondbacks were added to the major leagues in 1998, baseball has enjoyed a period of franchise consistency. Aside from the Montreal Expos relocating and becoming the Washington Nationals in 2005, fans are accustomed to baseball’s 30-team layout.
Yet during his annual All-Star press conference on Monday, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred spoke on his expansion plan and gave three cities in the running for a new franchise.
"“The fact of the matter was baseball was successful in Montreal for a very long time,” Manfred said (per cbssports.com). “Charlotte is a possibility. And I would like to think that Mexico City or some place in Mexico would be another possibility.”"
As one of the largest media markets in America, Charlotte presents a tantalizing location for an expansion franchise. Furthermore, the city lies between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, an area without a major league franchise.
As for Montreal and Mexico City, both fall in line with Manfred’s desire to expand baseball’s global identity. Montreal was home to the beloved Expos for over 30 years before the 1994 strike eventually sealed their doom. Its baseball past and the vocal support of mayor Dennis Coderre makes Montreal a strong candidate for an expansion team.
Mexico City is another viable location, however, its altitude may prove the deciding factor when it comes to decide where to start a new franchise. At 7,382 feet above sea level, it is 2,100 feet higher than the hitter’s ballpark that is Coors Field. Elsewhere in Mexico still remains an option, but the thin air may steer the major leagues in another direction.
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Yet before any expansion can take place, Manfred stressed the importance of renovating Oakland Coliseum and Tropicana Field. He said,
"“As much as I hope that both Oakland and Tampa will get stadiums, I think it would be difficult to convince the owners to go forward with an expansion until those situations are resolved.”"