Editing National League (baseball) (section)

===Divisional reorganization===
The NL remained an eight-team league for over 60 years. (For the eight teams, see [[#Expansion (1887–1899)|Expansion (1887–1899)]] above, and [[#"Classic Eight"|"Classic Eight"]] below.) In 1962—facing competition from the proposed [[Continental League]] and confronted by the [[American League]]'s unilateral expansion in 1961—the NL expanded by adding the [[New York Mets]] and the Houston Colt .45s. The "Colts" were renamed the [[Houston Astros]] three years later. In 1969, the league added the [[San Diego Padres]] and the [[Montreal Expos]] (now the [[Washington Nationals]]), becoming a 12-team league for the first time since 1899.

In 1969, as a result of its expansion to 12 teams, the National League—which for its first 93 years had competed equally in a single grouping—was reorganized into two [[division (sport)|divisions]] of six teams (respectively named the [[National League East]] and [[National League West|West]], although geographically it was more like North and South), with the division champions meeting in the [[National League Championship Series]] (an additional round of postseason competition) for the right to advance to the World Series.

In 1993 the league expanded to 14 teams, adding the [[Colorado Rockies]] and the [[Miami Marlins|Florida Marlins]] (which became the Miami Marlins shortly after the end of the 2011 season). In 1998, the [[Arizona Diamondbacks]] became the league's fifteenth franchise, and the [[Milwaukee Brewers]] moved from the AL to the NL, giving the NL 16 teams for the next 15 seasons.

In 1994, the league was again reorganized, into three geographical divisions (East, West and [[National League Central|Central]], all currently with five teams; from 1994 to 1997 the West had one fewer team, and from 1998 to 2012, the Central had one more team). A third postseason round was added at the same time: the three division champions plus a [[wild card (sports)|wild card]] team (the team with the best record among those finishing in second place) now advance to the preliminary [[National League Division Series]]. Due to a players' strike, however, the postseason was not actually held in 1994.

Before the 1998 season, the American League and the National League each added a fifteenth team. Because of the odd number of teams, only seven games could possibly be scheduled in each league on any given day. Thus, one team in each league would have to be idle on any given day. This would have made it difficult for scheduling, in terms of travel days and the need to end the season before October. In order for MLB officials to continue primarily intraleague play, both leagues would need to carry an even number of teams, so the decision was made to move one club from the AL Central to the NL Central. Eventually, Milwaukee agreed (after Kansas City declined) to change leagues; the National League now had 16 teams, the American League 14 with the switch.<ref>For more details, see [[History of professional baseball in Milwaukee#1994–1998: Taking it National]].</ref>

Beginning with the 2013 season, the Houston Astros moved from the National League Central to the American League West, which now gave both leagues three divisions of five teams each.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Memmott|first=Mark|date=November 17, 2011|title=Baseball's Houston Astros To Switch Leagues In 2013|language=en|work=NPR|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2011/11/17/142467483/baselballs-houston-astros-to-switch-leagues-in-2013|access-date=February 25, 2022}}</ref>