Astros Sale Approved – Moving To AL West

Major League Baseball Owners approved the sale of the Houston Astros from Drayton McLane to Jim Crane earlier today. This means the team will be moving from the NL Central to the AL West beginning in the 2013 season.

This move will give each league 15 teams and will be the first major league realignment since after the 1997 season when the Brewers switched from the AL to NL.

The move in leagues was all a part of the deal of the sale. Because of it, the price was cut from $680 million to $615 million.  Major League Baseball will make up the difference to the seller, Drayton McLane, over a three year period.