Should Cubs and White Sox Be in the Same Division?

Major League Baseball is staring down one of its wildest shake-ups in ages. Commissioner Rob Manfred says expanding to 32 teams will trigger a total geographic realignment.

This could mean the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox — usually separated by league lines — might end up fighting it out in the same division. MLB claims the move is about cutting travel and making TV schedules easier, but plenty of folks see it as a big revenue play, maybe at the cost of baseball’s traditions.

The End of the AL/NL Divide

Since the 1800s, the American League and National League have shaped MLB, building rivalries, unique styles, and even different rules. Now, with two new teams possibly on the way, Manfred wants to ditch those old boundaries for divisions based only on geography.

Chicago Rivals in the Same Division

A Cubs–White Sox divisional rivalry would really shake up the Chicago sports scene. Fans could see more regular-season games with city bragging rights at stake.

For team owners, these matchups would mean a nice bump in ticket sales. Some critics say this is a final boost for longtime White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, who’d get to cash in on those sellout rivalry games.

The Real Reasons Behind Realignment

Manfred says fewer cross-country trips will help player health and make national TV schedules less of a headache. Those late-night West Coast games are brutal for East Coast fans, after all.

But a lot of people aren’t buying it. They think it’s more about chasing bigger profits than helping players.

Boosting National TV Demand

National networks are hungry for big matchups. A realigned league would serve up more Yankees-Mets or Dodgers-Angels games with playoff stakes.

These games pull in better ratings, which means fatter broadcast deals for owners. Shorter travel also saves teams money, so it’s a win for the bottom line.

The Erosion of Baseball Traditions

This isn’t the first time MLB has broken with tradition. In 1997, commissioner Bud Selig rolled out interleague play, letting AL and NL teams face off in the regular season.

Then in 2023, MLB switched to a balanced schedule where every team plays each other. That move blurred the lines between the leagues even more.

Inflated Interleague Stats

The 2023 schedule change definitely affected player stats. Big names like Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber posted huge numbers, partly because they faced more interleague opponents.

Fans get to see their favorite players against more teams, but it’s chipped away at what used to make league play special.

Expansion Is Inevitable

Expansion just seems like it’s going to happen. Two new franchises would grow MLB’s footprint and, maybe more importantly, bring in billions in expansion fees.

Back in 2001, owners even floated the idea of contraction, and they’re still pushing for a salary cap. That’s probably going to come up again when the current collective bargaining agreement runs out in 2026.

The Risks Ahead

MLB’s history with labor disputes is long and messy. If these changes roll out without real revenue sharing or player givebacks, another work stoppage could be coming.

The league has to figure out how to chase profits without wrecking the fairness and spirit that built the game.

Baseball’s Identity in the Balance

For a lot of diehards, this much change feels like baseball is losing its soul. The AL/NL split is a huge part of what makes the sport unique.

Get rid of it, and you’re left with a regional entertainment machine — sure, it makes money, but is it still the same game?

A More Commercialized Era

MLB is clearly leaning into a more commercialized era. Whether these changes will spark real growth or just end up as a quick cash grab is up for debate.

Realignment means more rivalries and fresh matchups. Maybe it’ll even give the sport’s popularity a real jolt.

But for fans who care about tradition, you have to wonder—what’s the price? Baseball could lose its most cherished element: that unique, century-old structure.

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Here is the source article for this story: Column: Will the Cubs and White Sox eventually play in the same division? Say it ain’t so, Rob Manfred.