Major League Baseball could be on the verge of its biggest expansion decision in more than three decades.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has made it clear that expanding the league to 32 teams remains a major goal, but the process cannot officially move forward until the league and MLB Players Association reach a new collective bargaining agreement. The current CBA expires on Dec. 1, 2026.
Once the labor situation is settled, attention is expected to turn toward the cities hoping to land one of two expansion franchises.
Salt Lake City Emerging as a Favorite
Salt Lake City has quickly become one of the strongest candidates.
The city already has an ownership group connected to the Larry H. Miller Company, a proposed stadium site and significant state funding tied to a larger development project. Those pieces give Salt Lake City an advantage over several competing markets that still need to solve major ownership or stadium questions.
Portland is another serious contender in the Western United States. The city has identified a potential ballpark site and could receive substantial state support, although it still needs to establish a clear ownership group.
Nashville Leading the Eastern Race?
On the other side of the country, Nashville has generated considerable momentum.
The city has a strong baseball movement behind the potential Nashville Stars and has attracted attention because of its rapidly growing population, sports culture and success in attracting major professional teams.
However, Nashville still has important hurdles to clear. A controlling ownership group and a finalized stadium plan remain among the biggest pieces of the puzzle.
Raleigh, North Carolina, is also making a push, while Montreal and Orlando remain possibilities.
Baseball Could Look Very Different
If MLB ultimately awards two expansion teams, the league would move from 30 clubs to 32.
That would create the possibility of completely restructuring the league’s divisions and scheduling while giving baseball new markets and potentially opening the door for new rivalries.
But there is still plenty of work to be done.
For now, the focus remains on the upcoming CBA negotiations. Once that issue is resolved, the race for the next two MLB franchises could become one of the biggest stories in baseball.
And if the current momentum continues, fans may soon be debating something they haven’t had to consider in decades:
Which two cities are going to become the next Major League Baseball franchises?
