Need all 30 MLB teams in alphabetical order? Whether you're filling out a bracket, building a sports database, prepping for trivia night, or just trying to remember which teams are actually in the American League, the sorted list below has you covered. The tool above will also alphabetize any custom team list you paste in - handy for fantasy baseball drafts or ranking your favorites.
Major League Baseball has 30 franchises split between two leagues - the American League and the National League - each with three divisions of five teams. That structure has held since 1998, when the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now just the Rays) joined as expansion teams. But the history behind these 30 teams stretches all the way back to the 1870s, making baseball the oldest of the four major North American pro sports.
AL vs. NL: How the Leagues Work
The American League and National League each have 15 teams across East, Central, and West divisions. The AL was founded in 1901 as a rival to the already-established NL, and the two leagues operated almost independently for decades - they didn't even play each other during the regular season until interleague play started in 1997.
The biggest rule difference between the leagues disappeared in 2022 when MLB adopted a universal designated hitter. Before that, NL pitchers had to bat for themselves, which was one of those things baseball purists loved and everyone else found baffling. Now both leagues use the DH, and the only real distinction is scheduling - you still play more games against teams within your own league.
Division alignment drives the regular season. Teams in the same division play each other roughly 13 times a year, which is why rivalries like Yankees-Red Sox, Dodgers-Giants, and Cubs-Cardinals carry so much weight. You can't escape your division opponents, and every series against them feels like it matters more than it probably should.
The Oldest Franchises in Baseball
The Atlanta Braves hold the claim to being the oldest continuously operating professional baseball team, tracing their lineage to the Boston Red Stockings of 1871. They've played as the Red Stockings, Beaneaters, Doves, Rustlers, Bees, and Braves in Boston, then the Milwaukee Braves, and finally the Atlanta Braves since 1966. The Chicago Cubs started as the White Stockings in 1876 and have been playing in Wrigley Field since 1916 - the second-oldest ballpark still in use.
Fenway Park in Boston beats Wrigley by four years, opening in 1912. It's the oldest active MLB stadium and one of the most beloved venues in all of sports. The Green Monster - that 37-foot-tall left field wall - wasn't built as a gimmick. It was the boundary of the property. They couldn't push the fence back, so they built it up. Everything about old ballparks was dictated by city blocks and lot lines, which is why each one has a unique shape.
The Cincinnati Reds (1881), Pittsburgh Pirates (1881), St. Louis Cardinals (1882), Philadelphia Phillies (1883), Los Angeles Dodgers (1883, originally in Brooklyn), and San Francisco Giants (1883, originally in New York) all predate the automobile. These franchises have survived two World Wars, the Great Depression, multiple relocations, and the steroid era. Their longevity is staggering.
Stadiums and Cities
Like the NFL, not every MLB team plays where its name suggests. The Los Angeles Angels actually play in Anaheim, about 30 miles southeast of downtown LA. The Atlanta Braves moved to Truist Park in Cumberland, Georgia, a suburb outside the city limits. And the Oakland Athletics are currently playing at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento after leaving the Coliseum, with plans for a new stadium in Las Vegas - making them one of the most nomadic franchises in modern sports history.
Dodger Stadium is the largest MLB park by seating capacity at around 56,000. It opened in 1962 and sits in Chavez Ravine, a hilltop location with views of the San Gabriel Mountains and the downtown skyline. On the other end, Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg is the smallest and most criticized venue in the league - it's an indoor dome with artificial turf, catwalks that interfere with fly balls, and a capacity around 25,000. The Rays have been trying to get a new stadium for years.
Teams by Division
The six-division structure creates clean groupings. The AL East (Blue Jays, Orioles, Rays, Red Sox, Yankees) is historically the toughest and most expensive division - the Yankees and Red Sox have two of the highest payrolls in the sport, and the entire division regularly sends multiple teams to the playoffs. The NL West (Diamondbacks, Dodgers, Giants, Padres, Rockies) is dominated by the Dodgers, who have won the division 10 of the last 13 years on the back of a payroll that dwarfs most of their competitors.
The AL Central (Guardians, Royals, Tigers, Twins, White Sox) and NL Central (Brewers, Cardinals, Cubs, Pirates, Reds) are often considered the weakest divisions by win total, but they produce some of the most passionate fanbases. The Cardinals have the second-most World Series titles in history (11), trailing only the Yankees (27). The Cubs went 108 years between championships before finally winning in 2016, which remains one of the most celebrated moments in sports history.
Name Changes and Rebrandings
Several MLB teams have changed names in recent years. The Cleveland Guardians played as the Cleveland Indians from 1915 until 2022, when the franchise changed its name after years of debate. The name "Guardians" comes from the Art Deco guardian statues on the Hope Memorial Bridge near their stadium. The Houston Astros have been the Colt .45s. The Washington Nationals were the Montreal Expos until relocating in 2005. The Miami Marlins were the Florida Marlins. The Los Angeles Angels have cycled through California Angels, Anaheim Angels, and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim before landing on just Los Angeles Angels.
The Oakland A's have changed cities more than almost any franchise - starting in Philadelphia (1901), moving to Kansas City (1955), then Oakland (1968), and now heading to Las Vegas. Their departure from Oakland marks the end of an era for a city that has lost the Raiders (NFL) and Warriors (NBA) in recent years too.
Complete List of All 30 MLB Teams Alphabetically
Here is every MLB team listed from A to Z: