Major League Baseball could be approaching one of the most consequential periods of change in its modern history. From the possibility of adding new franchises to discussions about shortening the regular season, the league has several decisions that could reshape its competitive structure, business model and relationship with fans.

The next few years could also bring geography-based realignment, a shift toward nationally oriented media rights and, eventually, a new commissioner. While these changes remain at different stages of discussion and development, their combined impact could determine how baseball operates in the next decade.

“By 2031, Major League Baseball is set to look radically different from what it does now—even if only a small portion of the ideas on the table in current labor talks become reality,” wrote Eric Fisher of Front Office Sports.

The challenge will be to modernize the sport without losing the traditions that have sustained it for generations.

MLB’s expansion plans for near future

A normal day during the regular season in MLB means 15 games are played by 30 teams across the league. But MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred expansion plan means 32 teams will play 16 games per day.

The last time MLB expanded was in 1998, when the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Tampa Bay Rays were added, and Major League Baseball became a family of 30. However, Manfred has long since been pushing for another set of expansions before his retirement, but he had shelved the issue till the ballpark situation for the Rays and the Athletics was resolved. The Athletics will have their new home in Las Vegas, and the Rays will have their own in Tampa.

With that bit of a hurdle gone, only the labor talks remain as a roadblock in MLB’s expansion plans. Once the new CBA is settled, the league will officially kick off the expansion process to become 32 teams. Raleigh on the East Coast and Salt Lake City on the West Coast have emerged as the frontrunners for the new teams. But ultimately, the expansion committee, which will be formed after the league and the union agree on the new CBA, will decide which cities will host the new teams. Portland, Nashville, Orlando, and Montreal are also in the expansion race, though Salt Lake City and Raleigh have got the head start.

Those two cities have a strong ownership group, locked-in stadium funding, and a site to build the stadium.

While the league and the union won’t fight on the expansion, for it’s beneficial to both, they can certainly butt heads on the owners’ proposal for a shorter season.

154-game regular season

With the current CBA expiration date fast approaching, the owners have proposed a plethora of changes to the existing MLB format. Headlined by demands for a salary cap and floor, the owners’ proposals extend to major changes in free agency, the offseason, and now the duration of the regular season as well.

In their latest round of negotiations, the owners have pushed for a return to a 154-game season. A 154-game regular season existed in Major League Baseball from 1904 to 1960, with the only exceptions being 1918 and 1919 due to World War I. It was shortened to 140 games to adjust to wartime conditions.

The 162-game schedule has been in place since 1961 in the American League and 1962 in the National League, making it a defining feature of the modern MLB season.

But the shorter schedule does have its benefits.

It addresses concerns about player workload, fatigue, and the physical stress of a season that stretches for more than six months. A 154-game MLB season will allow players to get a day off every week, as each team will play 8 fewer games during the regular season. The new system is supposed to help with the roster churn. However, teams will have less time to recover from slumps.

“Returning to a 154-game schedule would allow us to introduce a weekly off day, which is good for player health, while also creating a new national broadcast window to showcase our most exciting teams and players. A shorter regular season unlocks making October even better for our fans,” said MLB spokesperson Glen Caplin, per Bob Nightengale on X.

However, the introduction of a shorter season depends on the players’ union’s acceptance of the salary cap, and the MLBPA is still firmly opposing the implementation of a salary cap in MLB. MLB is the only professional sports league in America without a salary cap, and the MLB Players Association wants to keep it that way.

Alongside the talks of expansion and a shorter season, there is also another factor that can redefine the familiar MLB format.

Geography-based realignment

One of the major consequences of the expansion will likely be geography-based realignment. Under the current structure, MLB divides the 30 franchises into six divisions across the American and National Leagues. Although the format has historical significance, it groups teams in the same divisions that do not always reflect geographical proximity. The regular travel demands are not always easy to manage.

The addition of two more teams would increase the pressure to reconsider the existing format. A geography-first model would group clubs based on their location and reduce travel times. Such changes can simplify travel planning and give fans more opportunities to attend road games.

MLB will also have to decide whether it wants to preserve the traditional American League and National League and simply divide the new teams between the leagues. Realignment is not simply about drawing new boundaries; it is about deciding which games should define baseball in the future.

Nationally oriented media rights

MLB’s media rights deal with Netflix, ESPN, FOX, and NBC, among other streaming companies, ends in 2028. It would mean a major transformation in its next round of national broadcast agreements before 2029. The goal is to make baseball more accessible to larger audiences.

The new broadcasting system would help local viewers to access the games easily without multiple subsriptions.

“By 2028, Manfred also intends to have league-level control over the local media rights of every club,” wrote Eric Fisher of Front Office Sports.

This will directly benefit the owners’ desire to increase the number of playoff games each season. The increase in viewership will help the league collect higher revenues.

All of the above are plans made by the MLB Commissioner, Rob Manfred. But Manfred’s time in the office is almost at the end.

New Commissioner

The league’s leadership is due for a change soon. Rob Manfred’s current term as commissioner is scheduled to end in January 2029. The new leader will oversee what will be left of MLB’s structural change.

Manfred has been commissioner since 2015, overseeing rule changes such as the pitch clock, larger bases, and restrictions on defensive shifts. His tenure has also included the introduction of a universal designated hitter, expanded postseason formats, and significant changes to the league’s media strategy. Most importantly, Manfred also oversaw the introduction of the Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System in the big leagues.

A new commissioner would have to navigate the competing priorities of team owners, players, broadcasters, and fans. Questions surrounding competitive balance, player compensation, and the economics of smaller-market teams could be especially important. The new commissioner will also oversee how the newly added teams settle into the system.