Kansas City Star discusses Royals role in MLB realignment after Rob Manfred's remarks

The MLB season is reaching its climax with so many teams still in the postseason hunt, and the Kansas City Royals find themselves right in the thick of it. While they still have ground to make up in the standings, the vibes are undeniably high in both the clubhouse and the fanbase.

Meanwhile, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred stirred the pot this past weekend with a seemingly offhand comment about possible expansion or divisional realignment in the near future. His direct response—citing factors like team logistics and postseason format—made it clear this is a real possibility for North America’s oldest major sports league.

“I think the first two topics are related in my mind. I think if we expand it provides us with an opportunity to geographically realign,” Manfred said. “I think we could save a lot of wear and tear on our players in terms of travel. And I think our postseason format would be even more appealing for entities like ESPN because you’d be playing out of the east, out of the west, and that 10 o’clock where we sometimes get Boston-Anaheim would be two West Coast teams."

How could potential future MLB realignment change the Royals' future?

The possibility of realignment has quickly become the talk of the baseball world, with every fanbase carrying at least some level of interest in how it might shake out.

For traditionalists, the idea of not only losing the familiar divisions but also potentially dissolving the American and National Leagues as we’ve known them for decades is a tough pill to swallow. Yet with all the changes the game has already embraced in recent years, many fans are now more curious about what realignment could look like rather than simply resisting it.

The Royals sit in a unique spot—smack in the middle of the continental United States. That positioning gives them multiple possible landing spots in a potential new four-team divisional structure.

Kansas City Star columnist Pete Grathoff offered one of the more unique alignments in his ideal four-team realignment scenario. Prioritizing geographical proximity, Grathoff keeps the Royals and Chicago White Sox together for some AL Central continuity.

The twist comes with the other two teams: the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals, injecting a juiced-up NL Central rivalry into the mix. While many national outlets slot the Royals and Cardinals alongside Texas clubs, Grathoff points out the obvious—“the Chicago teams are much closer than Houston.”

Does this feel like the best case scenario for Royals fans? The writer's proposal is likely more enticing than going down to Texas for half the division. There is no love lost between the Royals and White Sox, with Chicago leading the all-time series 441-438 dating back to the Royals' first season. The 1985 World Series matchup and intra-state rivalry always brings a fun element against the Cardinals, but St. Louis' dominance in the 2000s poured some cold water on any rivalry fire from a Royals perspective. Then there is the Chicago Cubs, one of baseball's most storied franchises and a big-name team that the AL Central currently sorely lacks.