Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. As of 2022, a total of 30 teams play in Major League Baseball—15 teams in the National League (NL) and 15 in the American League (AL)—with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada.
Tampa Bay was added to the American League in early 1997, while Arizona was added to the National League.
An odd number of teams was originally planned for every division (15 per division), but this would have necessitated interleague play being scheduled for the entire season in order for every team to play on a daily basis.
However, the players’ union had to ratify interleague play before it could continue after the 1998 season, therefore no one knew for sure if it would.
To maintain an even number of teams in both leagues, it was agreed that one existing team would be required to switch leagues.
In November 1997, the Milwaukee Brewers agreed to relocate from the American League to the National League, making the National League a 16-team league. Meanwhile, Detroit Tigers agreed to relocate to the AL Central (to replace Milwaukee) and Tampa Bay Devil Rays decided to join the AL East.
It was until after the 2013 season, when Houston Astros ownership was changed, that both leagues were given three divisions of five clubs each, allowing for a more evenly-balanced schedule. Interleague play is becoming a regular occurrence during the entire season..
What Is The Newest MLB Team?
The Tampa Bay Rays are the newest Major League Baseball (MLB) team. The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division.
Tropicana Field has been the team’s home venue since its existence. On March 9, 1995, and an ownership group led by Vince Naimoli was accepted after nearly three decades of fruitless attempts to secure an expansion franchise or entice existing clubs to relocate to the Tampa Bay area.
They debuted in the 1998 season of Major League Baseball. The first ten years of the team’s existence were defined by failure; they finished last in the American League East in all but one season (2004, when they were second to last).