Major League Baseball is the oldest of the four major professional sports in the United States, with 30 teams spread across six divisions. The league last expanded during the 1993 and 1998 seasons, adding a team each time to both the American and National league.
Now, MLB reportedly is considering new locations for possible expansions, including United States neighbors to both the north and south. There wasn’t much talk regarding possible expansions during the past decade, but conversations have opened up of late.
While there isn’t a timetable in place, Mexico is being considered as a possible landing spot for a new team, via Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball:
Major League Baseball has its sights on Mexico as a possible venue for expansion, sources tell FanRag Sports.
The sport has always been widely loved and accepted in Mexico, with current Los Angeles Dodgers Adrian Gonzalez and Julio Urias having ties to the country. The Mexican national team was a competitor in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, as they have been in previous renditions of the international tournament.
While the Mexican Baseball League is a huge draw, the opportunity to have representation in MLB would certainly further boost the popularity of baseball in Mexico.
While Montreal has generally held as an often discussed expansion location since the Expos relocated, Mexico may have an edge. Mexican Billionaire Carlos Slim has made previous attempts to get into an ownership group with a Major League team, which could be a significant factor.
In addition to expansion, MLB has pondered the possibility of holding regular-season series in outside the United States.
