In MLB, unlike the other three major sports leagues, there is a disparity among the number of teams in the American League and National League as well as the divisions.

Four divisions have five teams, while the AL West has four and the NL Central has six. The NL has a total of 16 teams, while the AL has 14. This also causes scheduling conflicts during interleague play, since the NL has two more teams. The leagues need to have the same number of teams, so adding two expansion teams would help.

Expansion

Both expansion teams would go to the AL to give both leagues 16 teams. One team would be added to Charlotte, North Carolina and the other to Portland, Oregon. The South would now have another team other than the Braves and the Florida teams, while Portland would finally have a second pro sports team in their city.

Realignment

The realignment of the divisions would be similar to when the NFL did a division realignment in 2002 after adding the expansion Houston Texans. Both leagues would have an East, North, South , and West division to make up four divisions, with four teams per division.

AL East:

Baltimore Orioles

Boston Red Sox

New York Yankees

Toronto Blue Jays

 

AL North:

Chicago White Sox

Cleveland Indians

Detroit Tigers

Minnesota Twins

 

AL South:

Charlotte (expansion team)

Kansas City Royals

Tampa Bay Rays

Texas Rangers

 

AL West:

Anaheim Angels

Oakland Athletics

Portland (expansion team)

Seattle Mariners

 

NL East:

New York Mets

Philadelphia Phillies

Pittsburgh Pirates

Washington Nationals

 

NL North:

Chicago Cubs

Cincinnati Reds

Milwaukee Brewers

St. Louis Cardinals

 

NL South:

Atlanta Braves

Colorado Rockies

Florida Marlins

Houston Astros

 

NL West:

Arizona Diamondbacks

Los Angeles Dodgers

San Diego Padres

San Francisco Giants

 

Annual Interleague matchups:

Now that each league has 16 teams, every team will be able to have an annual interleague opponent.

 

AL team-NL team:

New York Yankees-New York Mets

Boston Red Sox-Philadelphia Phillies

Baltimore Orioles-Washington Nationals

Toronto Blue Jays-Pittsburgh Pirates

Chicago White Sox-Chicago Cubs

Cleveland Indians-Cincinnati Reds

Milwaukee Brewers-Minnesota Twins

Detroit Tigers-Colorado Rockies

Kansas City Royals-St. Louis Cardinals

Charlotte (expansion team)-Atlanta Braves

Tampa Bay Rays-Florida Marlins

Texas Rangers-Houston Astros

Oakland Athletics-San Francisco Giants

Anaheim Angels-Los Angeles Dodgers

Seattle Mariners-San Diego Padres

Portland (expansion team)-Arizona Diamondbacks

 

Conclusion:

This proposal would mean each league and division would have the same amount of teams. Each team would now have an annual interleague opponent as well.

Please leave a comment below for your opinion and if you think this proposal should be revised at all.

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