A Major League Baseball team could change hands before the next season starts.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred floated the possibility that the Los Angeles Angels could be sold by March 30 — when the 2023 season begins — saying, “My understanding is that the club would like to have the sale resolved by Opening Day.”
- Owner Arte Moreno said in August that the team would explore strategic options, including a sale, after a land deal with Anaheim collapsed under corruption charges.
- Moreno had agreed to purchase the team’s stadium and surrounding land for $320 million.
- The city could require Moreno or a future owner to cover around $300 million in repairs, per a previous agreement.
The Angels were valued at $2.2 billion by Forbes in March, ninth in MLB.
Orioles, A’s in Flux
Manfred also provided commentary regarding other teams, stating that “as long as I have this job, I think you can count on the fact that the Orioles are going to be in Baltimore.”
He was far less certain about the Oakland A’s, alluding to a contractual trigger in the league’s collective bargaining agreement that denies them revenue sharing money without a new stadium deal by Jan. 15, 2024.
Manfred reiterated that the league would waive its relocation fee — which could reach as much as $1 billion — if the team leaves Oakland.
Meanwhile, the Kansas City Royals will hold their first public meeting on Tuesday for a proposed $2 billion ballpark and surrounding entertainment district.
