MLB Teams – List of Baseball Teams

MLB Teams: Major League Baseball is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the United States and Canada. It is composed of 30 teams divided evenly between the American League (AL) and the National League (NL), which are further subdivided into three divisions each: East, Central, and West.

How many MLB teams are there?

There are 30 MLB teams, divided evenly with 15 teams in the American League (AL) and 15 teams in the National League (NL).

Each of the leagues is divided into three divisions called the East, the Central, and the West.

National League (MLB Teams)

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 (MLB Teams)

East

• Baltimore Orioles
• Boston Red Sox
• New York Yankees
• Tampa Bay Rays
• Toronto Blue Jays

Central

• Chicago White Sox
• Cleveland Guardians
• Detroit Tigers
• Kansas City Royals
• Minnesota Twins

West

• Houston Astros
• Los Angeles Angels
• Oakland Athletics
• Seattle Mariners
• Texas Rangers

How many players are on an MLB team?

In MLB teams, there are two key rosters to understand: the 26-man roster and the 40-man roster. The 26-man roster includes the main group of players who actively participate in games throughout most of the season. On the other hand, the 40-man roster is broader and includes the 26-man roster plus additional players under major league contracts. These extra players could be minor leaguers or individuals on the injured list. Members of the 40-man roster are eligible to be “called up” to the 26-man roster as needed. Furthermore, starting in September, the rules relax a bit, allowing any of the players from the 40-man roster to be active in games, effectively expanding the main roster temporarily.

Baseball Rules

Here are some basic MLB (Major League Baseball) rules explained:

1. The Game’s Goal: The main aim is to score more runs than the other team. A run is scored when a player hits the ball and runs around four bases to reach home plate.
2. Teams and Turns: There are two teams. One team bats, trying to score runs, while the other team fields and tries to stop them. They switch roles after the batting team has three outs.
3. Hitting and Running: The batting team tries to hit the ball thrown by the pitcher from the fielding team. If the batter hits the ball, they run to as many bases as they can before the ball is returned.
4. Getting Outs: The fielding team tries to get the batting team’s players out by catching the ball before it touches the ground, tagging runners with the ball before they reach a base, or throwing the ball to a base before the runner gets there.
5. Innings: The game is divided into nine parts called innings. Each team gets to bat once in each inning. The team with the most runs at the end wins.
6. Strikes and Balls: A strike is when the batter misses the ball or hits it out of the play area. A ball is when the pitch is outside the strike zone, and the batter doesn’t swing. Three strikes and the batter is out; four balls and the batter walks to first base.
7. Home Runs: If the batter hits the ball out of the field in fair territory, it’s a home run, and they can walk around the bases to score a run, along with any team members already on bases.

Fun Facts about MLB Teams

• Different Colors: Each MLB team has its own special colors and designs for their uniforms. Some teams’ colors are really bright and easy to see!
• Old Teams: The Atlanta Braves are the oldest continuously playing team in professional American sports. They started playing way back in 1871.
• Big Hits: The New York Yankees have won the most World Series championships. They have won 27 times, which is a lot more than any other team.
• Long Games: Baseball games can last a long time, but one game between the Boston Red Sox and the Brooklyn Robins in 1920 was super long. It took 26 innings! That’s like playing almost three regular games back to back.
• Flying Far: In baseball, when someone hits the ball really hard, it can go very far. The longest home run ever hit went over 575 feet. That’s almost as long as two football fields.

MLB Teams – List of Baseball Teams FAQs

Are there 32 MLB teams?

The Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays joined the league for a $130 million expansion fee as MLB’s 29th and 30th teams. More than a quarter-century later, MLB remains a 30-team league.

What’s the newest MLB team?

Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Rays (then Tampa Bay Devil Rays) were the most recent expansion teams in the MLB. Both of them joined MLB in 1998.

What is the oldest team in MLB?

The Atlanta Braves are the oldest continually operating team in Major League Baseball; enfranchised in 1871 as the Boston Red Stockings (or Red Caps) in National Association, and with connections to the original independent professional Cincinnati Red Stockings of 1869–70; joined National League as charter member.

How many games in baseball?

The Major League Baseball (MLB) season schedule consists of 162 games for each of the 30 teams in the American League (AL) and National League (NL), played over approximately six months – a total of 2,430 games, plus the postseason.

How many innings are in baseball?

In each half, one team bats until three outs are made, with the other team playing defense. A full baseball game is typically scheduled for nine innings, while softball games consist of seven innings, although this may be shortened due to weather or extended if the score is tied at the end of the scheduled innings.

What is the difference between NL and Al?

The only big difference between the National League and the American League (AL) was that the AL used the “Designated Hitter” (or DH). The Designated Hitter is a player who does not play in the field, but is used to bat for the pitcher.