Major League Baseball (MLB) commissioner Rob Manfred opened the door to a possible expansion in the Major Leagues during the broadcast of the game between the Seattle Mariners and the New York Mets this Sunday.

Manfred explained that adding new teams to the circuit would not only increase baseball's presence in more cities across the United States, but would also allow for a geographic restructuring of divisions, which would facilitate travel and give players more rest during the season.

"I think the owners have realized that there is a huge demand for baseball in larger cities and there is an opportunity for expansion," Manfred said.

The commissioner added that this measure would also strengthen television broadcast rights and make the postseason format more competitive.

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The last MLB expansion was in 1998

The MLB has not added new teams since the 1998 season, when the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Rays joined.

Since then, baseball has consolidated into 30 franchises, but the league recognizes that there are markets with great potential to host new teams.

Which cities could host a Major League team?

According to an ESPN report published in 2024, there are several candidate cities that meet the conditions to become new MLB headquarters:

Expansion in Major League Baseball: a historic decision on the way

If confirmed, expansion in the MLB would mark a before and after for professional baseball, expanding its reach to new regions and generating greater competitiveness in the league.

With the owners increasingly open to The idea and cities bidding for a franchise are growing, anticipation is growing about when and where the next big move in the Major Leagues will happen.