- The Toronto Blue Jays played their first MLB season in 1977.
- The Jays have been Canada’s only MLB team since 2005.
- Montreal has been suggested as a possible location for an expansion team in the 2030s.
Of the 30 active MLB franchises, 29 are located in the USA. The Toronto Blue Jays are the only team in Canada, and, therefore the only Canadian MLB squad with odds available at the BetMGM online sportsbook, but why is this the case?
Canada had two teams for over 20 years, and there are rumours they could add a second in the coming years, with MLB expansion seemingly inevitable.
Why Are the Blue Jays the Only Canadian Team?
The Toronto Blue Jays have been the only Canadian MLB team since the Montreal Expos became the Washington Nationals after the 2004 season. The Expos won just one division title between 1969 and 2004 and decided to trade away their best players after the strike in 1994.
Major League Baseball tried to disband the franchise before purchasing it in 2002. In 2003 and 2004, the Expos played 22 home games per year in Puerto Rico before being relocated to Washington for the 2005 season.
The Kid, The Hawk, The Rock. Baseball’s Hall of Fame. pic.twitter.com/6jqTjvMhZc
— Montreal Expos (@Montreal_Expos) July 21, 2024
In their last eight seasons in Montreal, the Expos had a losing record on six occasions. They made the postseason just once over 36 seasons.
Why Is There Only One MLB Team in Canada?
A lack of interest is the biggest reason there is only one MLB team in Canada. The Expos and Blue Jays were both competing in the majors for over 20 years, but Canadian interest in MLB is relatively limited with around 20% of people identifying as MLB fans.
Attendance at Expos games waned after interest piqued in the early 1980s. They were in the bottom three in National League attendance each year from 1988 to 1992 and had the lowest attendance every season from 1998 to 2004.
