At the start of professional baseball, people saw athletes playing matches from two different leagues. Although these two entities cooperated, they remained legally separate. However, things changed in 2000 when both baseball associations merged to form the MLB we know today. Still, it can make you wonder, how many MLB teams are there?
The MLB has a total of 30 teams at the time of writing. The teams are divided into the American and National Leagues. Furthermore, both leagues have three different geographic categories, namely the East, Central, and West districts.
What are these MLB teams? Also, what is the best MLB team in 2021? Continue reading this article to know more about the main topic.
Table of Contents
How Many Teams are in the MLB?
The professional baseball scene started with eight teams for both the American and National leagues. Today, and as mentioned previously, the MLB has 30 teams. 15 teams are in the two league categories. Additionally, each geographic district has five teams.
This league structure began in 1920 when the National Commission managed to form relationships between the American and National leagues. This organization became the Commissioner of Baseball, which is the officiating entity for all of professional baseball.
In the 1960s, the MLB added eight more teams to the roster. Furthermore, the 1970s saw the addition of two more teams, which are the Seattle Mariners and the Toronto Blue Jays. In 1993, both professional baseball associations expanded further by adding two teams. At that time, the Colorado Rockies and the Florida Marlins joined the professional baseball team roster.
Adding more teams per year seemed to become a trend as March 1995 saw the addition of two more franchises. This time, it would be the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays (currently known as the Tampa Bay Rays) to join the leagues. However, that year was the end of the yearly additions as both leagues now have 15 teams each.
Once existing as two separate entities, the American League and National League decided to become one association. It was in the year 2000 when the MLB became a single sports organization, similar to the NBA, NFL, and NHL.
What are the Teams in the MLB?
The following are the 30 teams found in the MLB. Moreover, this list has the teams separated into their geographic districts for both the National and American leagues of the MLB.
National League
East
- Atlanta Braves
- Miami Marlins
- New York Mets
- Philadelphia Phillies
- Washington Nationals
Central
- Chicago Cubs
- Cincinnati Reds
- Milwaukee Brewers
- Pittsburgh Pirates
- St. Louis Cardinals
West
- Arizona Diamondbacks
- Colorado Rockies
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- San Diego Padres
- San Francisco Giants
American League
East
- Baltimore Orioles
- Boston Red Sox
- New York Yankees
- Tampa Bay Rays
- Toronto Blue Jays
Central
- Chicago White Sox
- Cleveland Indians
- Detroit Tigers
- Kansas City Royals
- Minnesota Twins
West
- Houston Astros
- Los Angeles Angels
- Oakland Athletics
- Seattle Mariners
- Texas Rangers
What is the Best Team in the MLB in 2021?
At the time of writing, it’s still difficult to tell the best MLB team in 2021. Nonetheless, it seems that the Chicago White Sox is taking the lead in the rankings.
The Chicago professional baseball team had a relatively slow start at the beginning of the season. Club manager Tony La Russa was seen to make several bad plays. Additionally, the team saw the injuries of outfielders Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert. Still, the team caught up by acquiring the best run differential at +66. Moreover, the White Sox also beat its own majors’ best record to date.
Several credits go to unlikely stars, namely designated hitter Yermin Mercedes and left-handed pitcher Carlos Rodon. These two players performed well and showed no signs of excelling from the beginning. Mercedes, in particular, holds a six-game hitting streak to help his team lead the pack. Next, Rodon scored a no-hitter and raised the bar for performing magnificently on the field.
Dawn of the Giants
Many baseball fans aren’t only gunning for the Chicago White Sox as the San Francisco Giants isn’t too far behind. This West district team from the National League has players like the right-handed pitcher Kevin Gausman.
Gausman had a great 2020 season as he made 47 strikeouts and 12 walks in 45.2 innings. Some sports fans thought that Gausman would least likely show up at the beginning of plays. However, he flipped switches when he joined matches at the front of the rotation.
Raging Red Sox
Next, there’s the Boston Red Sox, which seems to take it slow in 2021. The team’s non-game winning streak became its own fourth-best run differential at +36. Additionally, the Red Sox’s team of powerhouse players, namely shortstop Xander Bogaerts, 3rd baseman Rafael Devers, and designated hitter JD Martinez, are at the tops of their games.
As it stands, the pitching crew for the Red Sox has seen better days. Setup pitchers Garrett Richards and Nick Pivetta helped stabilize the team’s rotation. Richards, in particular, made 26 strikeouts in five walks from his four starts.
Final Words
The current MLB organization has 30 teams. The association has 15 teams for both the American and National leagues. Moreover, each league has five teams for each of the three geographic districts. Like other sports, some clubs in the professional baseball league excel more than others. For instance, 2021 sees the Chicago White Sox at the top with the San Francisco Giants and Boston Red Sox catching up closely.
