How Many US MLB Teams Are There?
Major League Baseball (MLB) is the professional baseball league in the United States, and it is divided into two leagues: the National League (NL) and the American League (AL). Each league is further divided into three divisions: East, Central and West. In total, there are 30 MLB teams, all of which are located in the United States.
The American League
The American League consists of 15 teams: the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays.
The National League
The National League has 15 teams as well: the Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Nationals.
MLB Teams Since 1903
MLB has been around since 1903, and the number of teams has changed over the years. There used to be only eight teams in the American League and eight teams in the National League. The first expansion occurred in 1961 when the Washington Senators (now the Texas Rangers) and the Los Angeles Angels were added to the American League. The National League added the Houston Colt .45s (now the Houston Astros) and the New York Mets in 1962.
MLB Expansion in the 1990s
The 1990s saw the most expansion in MLB with six teams added to the league. In 1993, the National League added the Florida Marlins (now the Miami Marlins) and the Colorado Rockies. The American League added the Tampa Bay Rays (formerly the Devil Rays) and the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1998, and the Milwaukee Brewers (formerly the Seattle Pilots) in 1999.
MLB Relocation
While the number of teams has not changed since the 1990s, there have been several relocations. The most notable relocation was the Montreal Expos (now the Washington Nationals), which moved to Washington, D.C. in 2005. The Milwaukee Brewers relocated from Seattle in 1970, and the Texas Rangers relocated from Washington in 1972. The Houston Astros relocated from the NL Central to the AL West in 2013.
MLB Teams by State
MLB teams are located in 15 different states across the U.S. The states with the most MLB teams are:
- California – 4 teams (Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres)
- Florida – 2 teams (Miami Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays)
- Illinois – 2 teams (Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox)
- New York – 2 teams (New York Mets, New York Yankees)
- Ohio – 2 teams (Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds)
- Texas – 2 teams (Houston Astros, Texas Rangers)
The other nine states with MLB teams are Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin.
MLB Stadiums
Each team in MLB plays its home games in a specific stadium. The most iconic stadiums are Wrigley Field (home of the Chicago Cubs), Fenway Park (home of the Boston Red Sox) and Yankee Stadium (home of the New York Yankees).
The World Series
The World Series is the culmination of the MLB season and is the championship series between the two league champions. The winner of the best-of-seven games is crowned the World Series champion. The last World Series was won by the Washington Nationals in 2019.
The Future of MLB
MLB is constantly evolving and looking for ways to improve the game. There have been talks of expanding the number of teams and even relocating some teams to other cities. There is also potential for expansion internationally, with teams in Mexico, Canada, Japan and other countries.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are currently 30 MLB teams in the United States, 15 in the American League and 15 in the National League. The number of teams has changed over the years, with some teams relocating and some teams added in expansion. The MLB season culminates with the World Series and there are hopes for expansion in the future.