Six cities line up for MLB's two expansion slots

Portland has up to $800 million in public stadium funding

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Sep 81 min read

Salt Lake City. Nashville. Raleigh. Portland. Orlando. Montreal. @JeffPassan breaks down the leading contenders for MLB Via @espn on X

What happened: Jeff Passan identifies Salt Lake City, Nashville, Raleigh, Portland, Orlando and Montreal as the leading candidates. The bids differ on ownership, ballpark funding and control of a stadium site.

Why it matters: Adding two clubs would take MLB from 30 teams to 32, clearing a path for league-wide realignment. Expansion would also create two major-league rosters and additional affiliated minor-league jobs.

By the numbers: The candidate pool is three times the number of available franchises: five U.S. markets and one Canadian city.

What to watch: Ownership commitments, financing packages and stadium sites will shape the race when MLB formally opens the expansion process.

Sources

@espn 2026-09-08T15:05:55.218041+00:00

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