1998 Major League Baseball expansion the American League. Following that transaction, MLB consequently altered its season structure so as to include interleague play throughout the regular season. 1998 Major League Baseball expansion The 1998 Major League Baseball expansion resulted in the establishment of Major League Baseball (MLB)'s 29th and 30th teams beginning play for the 1998 season. After initiating an expansion committee in March 1994, 27 groups representing nine cities submitted bids for the proposed expansion teams. After a yearlong process, on March 9, 1995, the league awarded the National League franchise to Phoenix and the American League franchise to Tampa. The Arizona Diamondbacks and
Professional baseball in Connecticut and changed their name to the Rock Cats. The team switched its affiliation to the Colorado Rockies prior to the 2015 season and left New Britain in favor of Hartford at the end of the 2015 season, but was replaced by the Independent New Britain Bees of the Atlantic League. Hartford had nearly continuous baseball from 1874 to 1952, including early major league baseball teams from 1874–1877. Notable events include five league titles by the Hartford Senators. In 2016, the former minor league club from New Britain began play as the Hartford Yard Goats, but did not play a home