MLB’s Rob Manfred floats geographical realignment
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MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred floated the potential of breaking apart the American and Nationwide Leagues and realigning groups primarily based on geography.
Manfred appeared on ESPN’s broadcast of the Seattle Mariners and New York Mets recreation, which befell in entrance of Little League baseball gamers in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
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Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred proclaims Main League Baseball and the Chicago Cubs will host the 2027 All Star recreation at Wrigley Subject. (David Banks/Imagn Photos)
“In my thoughts, I believe if we broaden, it offers us with a possibility to geographically realign. I believe we may see a variety of put on and tear on our gamers when it comes to journey,” Manfred stated. “And I believe our postseason format could be extra interesting for entities like ESPN since you’d be taking part in up out of the east, out of the west. And that 10 o’clock time slot the place we generally get misplaced in Anaheim, could be two West Coast groups. That 10 o’clock slot that’s an issue for us generally turns into an actual alternative for our West Coast viewers.
“I believe the homeowners understand that there’s demand for Main League Baseball in a variety of nice cities. And we now have a possibility to do one thing good round that.”
Manfred stated that he hoped to have two groups picked out earlier than he retires in 2029. MLB believes that Nashville, Tennessee, and Salt Lake Metropolis could possibly be the subsequent growth cities, based on USA Right now.
Los Angeles Dodgers gamers and coaches have a good time after successful the 2024 MLB World Collection in opposition to the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. (Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Photos)
Baseball followers weren’t precisely thrilled to listen to Manfred discuss realignment.
The Nationwide League was based in 1876 and the American League was fashioned in 1901. The historic points of the game is what provides to the great thing about the sport.
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It’s unclear how realignment would look. Former MLB basic supervisor Jim Bowden floated an concept again in Could 2023.
He predicted in an article in The Athletic that MLB may transfer to an Jap and Western Convention format “consisting of 4 geographically-aligned divisions apiece. 4 groups per division, 16 groups per convention.”
The Jap Convention would include the East Division (Boston Crimson Sox, New York Mets, New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies), North Division (Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays), Mid-Atlantic Division (Baltimore Orioles, growth staff, Pittsburgh Pirates, Washington Nationals) and Southeast Division (Atlanta Braves, Miami Marlins, growth and Tampa Bay Rays).
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred earlier than recreation 4 of the 2024 MLB World Collection between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. (Brad Penner/Imagn Photos)
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The Western Convention would include the Midwest Division (Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers and Minnesota Twins), Southwest Division (Houston Astros, Kansas Metropolis Royals, St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers), Pacific Coast Division (Colorado Rockies, Athletics, Seattle Mariners and San Francisco Giants), West Division (Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres).
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