Major League Baseball is truly a global sport. As such, it should not be a surprise that MLB commissioner Rob Manfred is looking to expand outside the United States.
As it currently stands, the MLB schedule and divisions are a bit awkward. With 30 teams, and 15 teams in each division, that alignment can make for a logistical nightmare. Interleague play, once a two week rarity, is now an every day occurrence. The alternative, where one division has 16 teams, and the other 14, was barely more palatable. Something will eventually need to change.
That something may well be expansion. The topic is on the mind of MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, who even has a couple of locations in mind. When the topic was brought up, Manfred cited Montreal and Mexico as potential locations for the next two teams to come to the majors.
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Both locations have been in play for a franchise for some time. Since the Expos were ripped away from Montreal due to the thorough mismanagement of Jeffrey Loria and the strike of 1994, there has been a push to bring a team back to Quebec. Former Expos players, such as Warren Cromartie, have pushed to bring a major league franchise back to Montreal. Mexico has a proud baseball history, and was mentioned back in 2016 as a personal favorite location for an eventual expansion team.
However, those two locations are not the only possible places for expansion. Manfred did mention Charlotte as a possible location as recently as last year. And, let us not forget the Pacific Northwest, where a group fronted by former Nike executive Craig Cheek is looking to being major league baseball to Portland.
Of those possible locations, Montreal certainly seems to be in the driver’s seat. Last year, a group of investors had already met conditions set by MLB to bring a team to the city. Once expansion happens, the Expos appear as though they will be given a new life.
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MLB expansion will be coming soon. If commissioner Rob Manfred has his way, the sport may become even more of a global commodity.