MLB realignment is once again a topic of discussion following Rob Manfred’s recent comments on the Mariners-Mets broadcast during Sunday Night Baseball.

“I think if we expand, it provides us with an opportunity to geographically realign,” Manfred said, via Lauren Meroia of The Athletic.

“I think we could save a lot of wear and tear on our players in terms of travel. I think our postseason format would be even more appealing for entities like ESPN because you’d be playing out of the East, out of the West and that 10 o’clock where we sometimes get Boston-Anaheim would be two West Coast teams. That 10 o’clock slot that’s a problem for us sometimes becomes a real opportunity for our West Coast audience.”

MLB has not expanded since 1998 when it introduced the Tampa Bay Rays and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Expansion should be viewed positively as the sport continues to grow in popularity, and potential geographic realignment could really benefit the Atlanta Braves.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic proposed new divisions last year when this topic initially came to light, placing the Braves in the Southeast division.

Southeast Division

• Atlanta Braves
• Nashville (expansion)
• Tampa Bay Rays
• Miami Marlins

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Depending on who the owner is for the hypothetical Nashville expansion team, it’s possible the Braves payroll could exceed the rest of the Southeast division combined.

The Rays are an elite organization that’s had a ton of success in recent years, but they are allergic to spending, and so are the Miami Marlins. Who knows what Nashville’s expansion team would look like, but it typically takes quite a bit of time to build up a competent baseball organization.

Geographically, this division would make the most sense, but it would also mean getting rid of the American and National Leagues. That feels like a big step at this moment, even if there would be no arguments in Atlanta if this proposal were to gain some traction.

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David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire

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