What MLB May Look Like After Enlargement: Eight Divisions, New Rivalries?!

The Mets swapping the Braves for the Yankees as divisional foes? Goodbye to the Dodgers vs. Giants rivalry as we all know it? 

Geographic realignment in MLB is extra seemingly than you assume. Or, extra seemingly than beforehand thought, after commissioner Rob Manfred surprisingly mentioned the topic on Sunday.

With enlargement anticipated earlier than the top of this decade, there could possibly be a serious shuffling to assist tackle issues over journey schedules. Candidates embody Nashville, Salt Lake Metropolis, or an MLB return to Montreal. There’s additionally Mexico Metropolis (elevation at 7,349 toes!) to rival the Rockies’ Coors Area because the park that pitchers would most hate to see on the schedule. 

However with Manfred’s emphasis on geography, two cities – Charlotte and Portland – would take advantage of sense. And with hypothetical franchises within the Queen Metropolis and the Rose Metropolis, we are able to ask: What would a realigned MLB seem like? We’ve bought an thought.

Eight divisions with 4 groups every, which is a big shift from at the moment’s six divisions with 5 groups. The American League will get condensed (confined to the closely populated East Coast out to the Nice Lakes area), whereas the Nationwide League stretches out for much extra sq. mileage. 

Okay with that? Properly, let’s discuss concerning the why of every division.

American League

New York YankeesNew York MetsBoston Pink SoxPhiladelphia Phillies

A division that locations collectively 4 of the biggest, loudest cities within the area — don’t fear, that’s a praise. This division additionally has possibly the strongest “we’re so again/it’s so over” power of all of them, too, given how these fan bases have a tendency to interact with their groups’ highs and lows. Maintaining the Pink Sox and Yankees collectively was paramount, however this setup additionally has the bonus of letting the Mets and Yankees rivalry develop that a lot bigger, because it received’t simply be for New York supremacy, but additionally for the divisional form. 

Breaking apart the Mets and Braves is disappointing, however the Phillies-Mets rivalry isn’t any slouch. Additionally, it isn’t as if the Braves and Mets won’t ever play in vital video games. They’d each be American League groups now, and can play usually sufficient to destroy one another’s common seasons, whereas additionally leaving open the potential for matching up within the postseason.

Baltimore OriolesWashington NationalsPittsburgh PiratesCleveland Guardians

The Orioles and Nationals don’t share a metropolis, however they’re shut sufficient to share the identical regional sports activities community — a proven fact that’s been a degree of competition between the 2 previously. The 2 are already paired up as designated rivals by MLB, so holding them collectively right here is sensible. The Pirates and Guardians are each charting newer territory, but it surely’s as a result of they each make extra sense right here than in different divisions. Pirates followers, in the event you really feel odd not being within the Central anymore, think about that you just’re not haunted by the Cubs or Cardinals or this season’s Brewers this manner.

Minnesota TwinsMilwaukee BrewersDetroit TigersToronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays and Tigers was once rivals within the ’80s and ’90s because of their hotly-contested fights for the AL East crown, a truth celebrated by their being designated rivals within the eyes of MLB within the current. Certain, some rivalries are being misplaced due to this geographic shift, however others might be reignited — nice timing, too, as a result of each of those golf equipment are essentially the most aggressive they’ve been in ages proper now, and have the younger rosters to maintain that going. 

As for the Brewers, it’s a return to the American League — they switched to the NL in 1998, when the then-Satan Rays and Diamondbacks joined MLB as enlargement groups. This additionally would arguably be the primary time the Twins have been in a division that aligned with their location: they’re central, certain, however just a little misplaced with the remainder of the division, and have been beforehand within the AL West earlier than the ’98 change to 6 divisions. 

Atlanta BravesMiami MarlinsTampa Bay RaysCharlotte (Enlargement)

The primary house the place an enlargement staff is important for filling out a division. We might lose the present Mets vs. Braves divisional rivalry, but it surely does create a chance for Atlanta and the brand new squad, Charlotte, to come back to blows given their relative proximity. Placing the 2 Florida groups collectively would possibly assist foster a rivalry there, too, however a part of that is pure geography as per Manfred’s edict. Do you know that driving from Charlotte to Atlanta really takes the identical period of time as a visit from St. Petersburg to Miami? Florida is a protracted state, people.

Nationwide League

Chicago CubsChicago White SoxSt. Louis CardinalsCincinnati Reds

Like New York’s duo, Chicago can see their two groups face off way more frequently about who’s the satisfaction of their metropolis. The Cubs get to maintain their designated-by-MLB rival within the White Sox, and with out dropping their historic rival, the Cardinals. The Reds get to maintain a few acquainted faces they’re used to sparring with round, and whereas they do lose the Pirates and Brewers, within the grand scheme of issues, these three weren’t in the identical division for that lengthy: the Reds was once within the NL West earlier than the wild card period, and the Brewers have been within the AL till the 1998 season.

Colorado RockiesKansas Metropolis RoyalsTexas RangersHouston Astros

There are two methods to have a look at this division. The primary is that some cracks within the geographic realignment plan are displaying a bit, owing to how these groups are distributed across the nation — there are groups from three completely different present divisions right here. The second is the way in which that you ought to be fascinated by it: this fixes some longstanding points! 

Why have been the Rockies within the NL West? There wasn’t anyplace else to go, regardless of being in a unique time zone than the California golf equipment and nearer to the NL Central golf equipment. Why have been the Astros within the AL West? As a result of there have been simply 4 AL West groups after they made the change from the NL in 2013 – regardless of Houston being considerably nearer to Boston than it’s to Seattle. The Rangers additionally get to maneuver out of their oddball AL West designation whereas preserving their Texas-based rivalry, and the Rockies be part of a division with the staff really closest to them, the Royals.

Los Angeles DodgersSan Diego PadresLos Angeles AngelsArizona Diamondbacks

Three of the 4 remaining California groups — this train assumes the Athletics will likely be in Las Vegas in 2028 — get into this one division, since they’re all shut collectively in what’s an enormous state. Manfred stated the Pink Sox and Angels going through off within the postseason isn’t preferrred for MLB or its followers. However the Angels and Dodgers combating for a postseason spot or spoiling one another’s season or going through off in October can be! The Padres and Dodgers get to maintain their bloodfeud going on this association, too. The Diamondbacks nonetheless aren’t in the fitting time zone, however that’s the character of the geographic beast: they’re a minimum of aligned distance-wise with the remainder of this crew.

Seattle MarinersLas Vegas AthleticsSan Francisco GiantsPortland (Enlargement)

The A’s and Giants can renew their former Bay Space rivalry, even whether it is which staff from the Northwest division is one of the best. Sure, the Giants lose the Dodgers rivalry, however just like the Braves/Mets and the emphasis in the direction of extra geographically-oriented scheduling, these two will nonetheless be seeing a ton of one another, and can be capable of face off within the postseason, as effectively. 

An enlargement staff in Portland narrows the lonely hole between the Mariners and the following staff south, and since there are some historic sports activities rivalries between the 2 cities — Seattle Sounders/Reign/SuperSonics and Portland Timbers/Thorns/Path Blazers followers, hey — the seed is already planted for transferring these emotions onto a brand new MLB staff.

Postseason: What Would It Look Like?

Moderately than three division champions and three wild card groups, the setup right here would function 4 division winners and a pair of untamed playing cards. There would nonetheless be an NL aspect and an AL aspect to the postseason bracket, which implies that the league may keep away from the state of affairs Manfred introduced up when extolling the virtues of geographic realignment — the Pink Sox (or Phillies, or Mets, or Braves or Blue Jays or whichever staff) wouldn’t must fly out to the West Coast for Division Sequence or Wild Card spherical video games in a packed postseason broadcasting schedule that inevitably cuts followers out from watching their favourite groups.

MLB may select to vary issues even additional, each within the postseason or in a divisional format — what in the event that they scaled again divisions, or used straight seeding, or one thing akin to the NBA’s setup and so forth — however the alignment is already disruptive: this looks like the very best steadiness between what already is and what must be, with the emphasis on geography espoused by MLB.

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