Could the Phillies and Yankees Play in Same Division in 2020?
Could the Phillies and Yankees be division rivals in 2020?
That's one of the options being floated around for the 2020 season, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, who reports that Major League Baseball is considering doing away with the American and National Leagues for the 2020 season and using realigned Cactus League and Grapefruit League divisions during what would be an abbreviated season.
Major League Baseball, assessing a myriad of proposals, has discussed a radical plan that would eliminate the traditional American and National Leagues for 2020, a high-ranking official told USA TODAY Sports, and realign all six divisions for an abbreviated season.
Here's a look at one realignment structure per Nightengale:
GRAPEFRUIT LEAGUE
- NORTH: New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, Pittsburgh Pirates.
- SOUTH: Boston Red Sox, Minnesota Twins, Atlanta Braves, Tampa Bay Rays, Baltimore Orioles.
- EAST: Washington Nationals, Houston Astros, New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals, Miami Marlins.
CACTUS LEAGUE
- NORTHEAST: Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, Oakland A’s.
- WEST: Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Angels.
- NORTHWEST: Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals.
Also per Nightengale, the designated hitter "would likely be universally implemented" and that the team that wins the Grapefurit League would face the team that wins the Cactus League in a World Series that would take place indoors in November.
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