Rob Manfred hints at MLB realignment that could ruin Astros’ rivalries

The Houston Astros are no strangers to MLB division realignment. The Astros, who were at one time part of the National League, have been part of the AL West since 2013. But based on recent comments from MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, the Astros could be on the move once again.

During the Sunday Night Baseball game between the New York Mets and Seattle Mariners, Manfred joined the ESPN broadcast crew and spoke about the likelihood of the league both expanding and the realigning the divisions. The commissioner has long said that once the Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays have their stadium plans in place, the league will look to add two more franchises.

Once MLB is at 32 teams, most experts and pundits expect the league to follow the NFL's example and move from six divisions with five teams to eight divisions with four teams. Manfred spoke during Sunday's telecast about reallocating teams based on geographic location. If that's truly what happens, no division stands to undergo bigger changes than the AL West.

Rob Manfred hints at MLB expansion that could ruin Astros’ rivalries

It's difficult to see a scenario in which MLB separates the Astros from the Texas Rangers. Few cities throughout baseball are as a close as Houston and Arlington, and if the goal is to limit travel as much as possible, it's a virtual guarantee that the Astros and Rangers will remain in the same division after MLB expansion.

But Astros fans would have to say goodbye to three other AL West rivalries. The Mariners are one of the most isolated teams in MLB, and both the Athletics and Los Angeles Angels are unlikely to remain in the same division as the Astros.

Former MLB general manager Jim Bowden considered the idea of MLB expansion and realignment back in 2023. In his column for The Athletic (subscription required), Bowden surmised that the Astros and Rangers would form a division with the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals. All four cities are located in the Central Time Zone, so there's merit to the idea. The Colorado Rockies and a potential expansion team in Utah could also be in play.

As was the case when Houston joined the American League over 10 years, Astros fans will soon get to know a new rival a bit more intimately once the league expands to 32 teams. Many experts have suggested the league in looking to at least begin the expansion process as early as 2028.

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