MLB commissioner 'open' to possibility of expansion

Speaking with reporters ahead of Tuesday's All-Star Game in Cincinnati, commissioner Rob Manfred flirted with the possibility that Major League Baseball could one day feature more than 30 teams.

"Maybe one of the reasons I got this job is, I'm bullish on this game," Manfred said. "I think we are a growth business, broadly defined. And over an extended period of time, growth businesses look to get bigger. So yeah, I'm open to the idea that there will be a point in time where expansion may be possible."

The league hasn't expanded since the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays were inaugurated in 1998, but Manfred spouted off a number of cities that could be viable destinations for expansion.

Manfred added that the league will "examine their viability" to determine if those cities would be well-suited for relocation of a current franchise, like Tampa Bay or the Oakland Athletics, plagued by lousy attendance and/or stadium woes.

Though Montreal, home of baseball's first Canadian franchise, is often cited as a potential destination when expansion is broached, Manfred stressed the city's need for a new stadium before that possibility can be seriously considered.

"The mayor is an enthusiastic supporter of bringing baseball back to Montreal," Manfred said. "I happen to believe that Montreal has a great baseball history, which is a nice thing. And the market wildly supported two exhibition games in each of the last two years. Having said all that, it's a long ways from two exhibition games to 81 home games in a facility that is consistent with major league standards."