Manfred floated MLB expansion to 32 teams and a sweeping realignment, stirring a flurry of 4-team division models and nudging expansion talks forward. Yet insiders doubted any quick move, citing a shallow talent pool and flagging attendance, while travel savings and era-shifting rivalries loomed in the balance. The piece also threads in star-slump notes and front-office moves, painting a sport at a potential geopolitical inflection point.