Japanese ownership of an MLB expansion franchise would be a positive development

TOKYO — It’s time for the MLB to expand again. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has said he wants expansion plans in place before his term ends in January 2029, when he will step down rather than seek re-election.

The MLB, it is believed, will approve two new franchises and possibly four.

The leading candidates for a new franchise are Montreal, Nashville, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Raleigh, North Carolina, as well as Portland, Oregon, and Salt Lake City, Utah, and San Antonio, Texas. Longtime expansion candidate, Las Vegas, will be hosting the Athletics who are finally leaving their miserable street crime-ridden home in Oakland, and spending three seasons in Sacramento while waiting for the new Las Vegas stadium to be ready.