Getting On Board with MLB Expansion & Realignment Plans

From Rates & Barrels: A show about Baseball The Athletic

Eno and DVR discuss an early exit for Shohei Ohtani on Wednesday night and consider how his workload on the mound might be handled in 2026, and Zach Neto's long-term outlook as a player showing 30-homer, 30-steal skills. Plus, they consider the benefits of MLB's plan to expand to 32 teams, and Stephen Nesbitt's well-designed realignment that would actually preserve the American and National Leagues. They also look at the massive step forward from Maikel Garcia as the Royals are hanging around the American League Wild Card race as September draws closer.

Rundown

1:00 Shohei Ohtani Leaves Early with Thigh Bruise; Ohtani Pitching Outlook for 2026

9:19 Zach Neto: X-Rays Negative, Long-Term Outlook on the Strength of 2025 Growth?

18:00 The Big Plan: MLB's Next Round of Expansion & Realignment

26:24 The Nesbitt Plan: Realignment Proposal

Stephen's Story ($): https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6560635

36:13 The Royals Are Hanging Around

42:53 Pitching Development in Kansas City

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Follow DVR on Bluesky: @DVR.bsky.social

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