Portland, Montreal Reportedly Target Cities for MLB Expansion

Major League Baseball is reportedly looking into expansion and possible realignment that would eliminate the American and National Leagues.  

Per Tracy Ringolsby of Baseball America, Portland, Oregon, and Montreal would be the target cities if MLB decides to expand for the first time since 1998. 

Ringolsby also noted one proposal, if MLB expands to 32 teams, "would be to geographically restructure into four divisions," instead of the current two-league, six-division format.  

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said at a September news conference in Seattle that Portland "would be on a list" of potential expansion cities for the league. 

Manfred has also cited Montreal as a city of interest, and the Canadian Press reported in March that a group of investors met MLB's conditions to bring a team back to the city after the Expos left for Washington D.C. after the 2004 season. 

Ringolsby noted other elements of this potential realignment include a reduced schedule from 162 games to 156 games, with playoff teams being made up of the four division winners and the next eight teams by record playing four play-in games for the right to play the division champions. 

MLB last expanded in 1998 with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who have since dropped the Devil from their nickname, bringing the league to 30 teams.