MLB commissioner Manfred hints at future expansion, realignment

Commissioner Rob Manfred believes Major League Baseball could look very different in the future.

Manfred was candid when asked about potential expansion in the upcoming years during ESPN's broadcast of the Little League Classic on Sunday.

"I think the first two topics (expansion and realignment) are related in my mind," Manfred said. "I think if we expand, it provides us with an opportunity to geographically realign. I think we could save a lot of wear and tear on our players in terms of travel, and I think our postseason format would be even more appealing for entities like ESPN."

Manfred added: "I think the owners realize there's demand for Major League Baseball in a lot of great cities, and we have the opportunity to do something good around that expansion process."

MLB hasn't expanded since 1998 when the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Rays joined the league to bring the total amount of teams to 30. Manfred has spoken previously about potentially growing the league to 32 teams in order to have an even number of clubs in each league - similar to the NHL and NFL.

Manfred had been reluctant to speak about expansion due to prior uncertainties surrounding the A's and Rays. Those two organizations have received more clarity this season. The A's broke ground on a new Las Vegas stadium in June, while the Rays are set to be sold in September, with new ownership intent on keeping the team in the Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg area.

The current collective bargaining agreement expires at the conclusion of the 2026 season. The expectation is that negotiations will be tense, with the belief that owners could broach talks of implementing some form of a salary cap.

Manfred has not been hesitant to innact change to MLB during his time as commissioner. The league's implemented expanded playoffs, the pitch clock, shift restrictions, video review, and the extra-innings ghost runner. MLB also appears to be on the verge of implementing the ABS challenge system in the coming years.