Fans of the Los Angeles Angels can finally exhale with relief following MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred's recent comments regarding potential league realignment. Initially, Manfred made headlines by suggesting a shift toward a 32-team format that could involve reorganizing divisions. However, his latest statements bring good news specifically for Angels supporters, who may find themselves less anxious after hearing his plans.
Manfred recently expressed his desire to keep teams from the same city—such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York—segregated in different divisions. This means that the Angels would not be forced to compete directly against their local rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers. For Angels fans, this is a welcome development, especially considering the significant disparity in performance between the two franchises in recent years.
To put things into perspective, the Angels have not reached the playoffs since 2014, while the Dodgers have celebrated recent World Series victories in the last two seasons. While both teams face off every year, having to play the Dodgers more than six times annually, as is currently the case during the Freeway Series, could potentially lead to more defeats for the Angels—an outcome they can ill afford.
Although specifics about Manfred's proposed realignment remain somewhat unclear, he has indicated an intention to geographically restructure the two leagues, create eight divisions, and introduce two new expansion teams. If the Angels are placed in a division separate from the Dodgers, a variety of teams could populate this new grouping. Possible candidates include the San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, the soon-to-be Las Vegas Athletics, Colorado Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks, or even a brand-new team potentially located in Portland, Oregon, or Salt Lake City, Utah.
While it’s fascinating to speculate on how MLB realignment might affect the Angels, the more immediate concern is assembling a competitive team capable of making a return to the playoffs. The ongoing television rights dispute could explain the Angels' quiet offseason, and there’s looming uncertainty over a potential lockout next winter. However, there are still strategic moves the Angels can make as spring training approaches, which could help them gain momentum.
Competing within the American League West is already a daunting task for the Angels, and the addition of the Dodgers to their division would have created a nightmarish scenario. Fortunately, should MLB realignment take place, Angels fans can feel hopeful knowing that their cross-town rivals won’t be a direct threat in the same division.
