Rob Manfred’s vision for a 32-team MLB just took a significant step forward, as a bold push from a potential host city has turned the expansion question from ‘if’ to ‘when.’

At the start of the year, the MLB commissioner announced that he would want to add 2 more teams. In a recent report by Kenneth Chan, he talked about how the mayor of Vancouver is asking the MLB to consider them.

He quoted Mayor Ken Sim: “Our city has a strong sports culture and a proven track record… With the MLB publicly expressing interest in league expansion in the near future, we see an opportunity to position Vancouver as the next home for a franchise.”

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Rob Manfred said, “Thirty-two would be good for us,” showing that MLB is actively trying to expand its league. He explained that the expansion will be per the geographic realignment.

“You would realign along geographic lines,” Manfred emphasized that the focus will be on realigning the league in a way to minimize travel time for players. This is going to help teams like the Mariners, who lead the league in miles traveled.

As expansion talk grows, Vancouver is entering the conversation with urgency and intent.

Mayor Ken Sim plans to start a motion on April 22 to attract qualified ownership groups.

The mayor pointed out the rich baseball roots in Vancouver. The city has hosted professional baseball continuously since 1977, showing long-term fan support and stability. The Blue Jays also have an affiliate team at the location called the Vancouver Canadians, who have been playing there since 2011.

But the issue is that the expansion can’t happen until the new CBA negotiations are done. Media rights negotiations also play a major role, as new teams significantly increase broadcast market value. Another problem is with where the team is going to play.

BC Place Stadium hosted MLB exhibitions between 1984 and 1994. However, its 2011 renovation added a center scoreboard and a roof that limits its playing of baseball.

That leaves Vancouver needing a new stadium, likely with a retractable roof due to heavy rain. Building such a venue could cost around $2 billion based on similar projects like the Astros and Daikin Park.

That leads directly into the financial and planning reality behind any expansion effort.

If we include the expansion fees and stadium construction, the total bill could come up to $5 billion or even more.

With all this coming into play, it will be interesting to see which teams can be added to the MLB.

Teams in the race for getting added to Rob Manfred’s expansion plans

With Rob Manfred at the helm, Major League Baseball is looking at nine cities in three countries before taking a final call. The cities include Nashville, Salt Lake City, Portland, Charlotte, Montreal, Mexico City, Sacramento, and San Antonio.

Mexico City stands out with a metro population close to 22 million people. Montreal earlier supported the Montreal Expos, with over 2 million fans in four seasons. Sacramento is already hosting MLB games, as Athletics games drew steady crowds during the 2024 season.

As the race moves forward, Nashville and Salt Lake City are now seen as the top choices.

Nashville’s plan includes the Stars’ name and a metro population of over 2 million people. Salt Lake City offers balance in location, with around 1.3 million people in its metro area. MLB also tested new markets, like the 2025 Bristol game that drew over 85,000 fans.

Both cities have strong stadium plans, which helped teams like the Texas Rangers get a new ballpark approved earlier.

The final decision will mostly depend on stadium money and strong ownership groups ready to invest.

MLB needs new stadiums, like when the Oakland Athletics shifted plans after delays in Oakland. Market size also matters, and Charlotte is one of the biggest U.S. cities without MLB. Travel is another factor.

A Western team can reduce long trips for teams like Seattle.

This whole plan is about more than just adding two new teams to the league. MLB wants 32 teams to make schedules easier, like how the NFL runs its format now. More teams also mean more money, as TV deals already bring in billions every year. Games in Mexico City have drawn over 19,000 fans, showing strong interest outside the U.S.

For fans, this feels real because each city brings its own story, hopes, and future.