Rob Manfred says Portland could get MLB expansion team
Major League Baseball may be expanding out to the state of Oregon.
During a news conference earlier this week, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred spoke about the possibility of the league expanding to 32 teams.
“I think it’s important to get [the] Oakland and Tampa [stadium situations] resolved before we move ahead with expansion,” said Manfred, per Tim Brown of The Oregonian.
Manfred was then asked if Portland was a candidate to receive a team.
“Portland would be on a list. Yeah,” he replied. “I mean, I think Portland is a possibility. If we were to go to 32 we would need a Western time zone team. We’d need at least one more and you can think about the prospects on the west coast probably about as effectively as I can.”
The MLB has been at 30 teams since their last expansion in 1998, which saw the additions of the Arizona Diamondbacks and the then-Tampa Bay Devil Rays. As for Portland (and the whole of Oregon for that matter), the only major pro sports teams they currently have are the Blazers of the NBA and the Timbers of the MLS. Regardless, it’s a time of high hopes for the city, and they seems like as strong a destination as any for a potential expansion franchise.
