Rob Manfred happened to be in Western Canada this summer. He was amazed by how passionate people there were about the Blue Jays; everywhere he went, it was all Blue Jays talk and merch. “The viewership numbers we’ve had from Canada throughout the postseason are really a boost to the game,” Manfred admitted some time ago.

With the commissioner’s expansion plans, he very much favors a new Canadian franchise for MLB. But amidst that, Sacramento’s political leaders are pushing hard for an MLB team, too. Sacramento political and business leaders have already had a taste of Major League Baseball with John Fisher’s Athletics playing home games in West Sacramento in 2025.

Now, they want more than just a temporary team. Their ultimate goal is to get a permanent MLB franchise. The city has made it clear that it’s ready for the big leagues.

“We are an MLB ready city.”

Sacramento already hosts an NBA team, and even though an attempt to bring Major League Soccer here failed in 2021, a new stadium in the Sacramento Railyards is under construction that could accommodate MLS requirements.

Meanwhile, there is a potential hurdle for MLB, though.

A new venue would likely need to be built in West Sacramento, a separate municipality. West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero is supportive, there.

“The City of West Sacramento is conducting preliminary studies to evaluate the long-term feasibility of permanently bringing Major League Baseball to West Sacramento, including the financing and infrastructure investments required to build a new stadium,” Guerrero explained. This work is still in the early stages, but the officials believe West Sacramento is one of the best locations on the West Coast for an MLB expansion team.

There’s stiff competition, though.

When it comes to potential expansion cities, except for Sacramento, Nashville, and Salt Lake City, Vancouver appears to be in the top spot. Aside from Montreal, which has a metro population of 4.6 million, Vancouver is the largest Canadian market in contention. And fans?

Their loyalty is unmistakable.

Vividata’s 2025 sports study shows that the average Blue Jays fan is 51 years old. That makes them one of the oldest and most loyal fan bases in pro sports. Impressively, 75% of Jays supporters watch more than half of the team’s games each season, ensuring one of the highest engagement rates in baseball.

What makes Vancouver the best fit for MLB expansion in Rob Manfred’s eyes?

For starters, the baseball culture in Vancouver has always been strong. You can take BC Place, for example.

The historic stadium, which opened in 1983, was originally built with baseball in mind. It even had a secondary press box right behind home plate. The only problem, as former operations boss Brian Griffin explained, was that the upper deck in one corner would have extended nine inches over the field.

With Montreal’s first bid rejected by MLB in 2022, Vancouver could be a strong candidate for a team. But realistically, what’s Commissioner Rob Manfred’s stance on the idea?

In a 2018 interview, Manfred seemed just as open to the idea as he sounded in his latest comments.

“We have a real list of cities that I think are not only interested in having baseball but also viable in terms of baseball. Places like Portland, Las Vegas, Charlotte, and Nashville in the United States. Certainly Montreal, maybe Vancouver in Canada,” Manfred had shared that year.

The major catch? Multipurpose stadiums like BC Place no longer meet MLB’s needs. If Vancouver is serious about landing a team, it would need a baseball-specific stadium.

A few factors give Vancouver an edge over other Canadian cities. A big advantage is that it isn’t competing with any eastern cities like Montreal, Nashville, or Orlando.