How potential MLB realignment divisions could help or hurt SF Giants

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred says realignment is coming to baseball. That means the divisions we've known and loved for so long might be thrown for a wrench. The SF Giants could benefit from a potential division switch-up, but they could also be hurt.

Here are three ways the Giants could be helped, and two ways they could be hurt by potential expansion.

How potential MLB realignment divisions could help or hurt SF Giants

Help: Moved out of a division with the Dodgers.

Potential division: Pacific Northwest Division - Giants, Mariners, Portland (expansion), Rockies

This one is obvious, but the best thing for the Giants would be to move into a division separate from the rival Los Angeles Dodgers.

While losing the historical rivalry would be a bummer for many fans, it would give the team better odds of winning their division in the future. The most likely way this happens is if the MLB moves to four-team regional-based divisions. A potential Pacific Northwest division could include Seattle, San Francisco, Colorado and a Portland expansion team.

Hurt: Rockie's leave the NL West, everybody else stays

Potential division: NL West - Giants, Dodgers, Padres, Diamondbacks

This was Jim Bowden's proposal last week, and it is bad news for the Giants. Losing the Rockies removes seven winnable games from San Francisco's schedule, and replaces them with more games against the Dodgers, Padres, and Diamondbacks.

The Giants' odds to win the division might be incrementally higher with one less team in it, but their Wild Card chances likely take a hit without the Rockies in the NL West.

Help: Angels join division with the rest of California

Potential division: California division - Giants, Padres, Dodgers, Angels

Adding the Angels into a potential California division would help the Giants in three ways.

First, it replaces the Diamondbacks, a team that is on an upward trajectory, with a team in the Angels that has been in a downward spiral for years. The Angels would be a soft spot on the Giants' schedule most years.

Second, the Angels would be a natural rival to the Dodgers. It would take some heat away from the Giants in the eyes of the Dodgers, adding another rival from the same city to the division.

Third, having a division of all California teams would make travel easier and allow for more fans to see more games throughout the state. There are plenty of Giants fans living in Los Angeles, so San Francisco's fan experience would be improved with extra games against the Angels.

Hurt: Mariners join an already loaded division

Potential division: Pacific Coast Division - Giants, Padres, Dodgers, Mariners

Throwing the Mariners into an already loaded division would just feel like overkill. This potential Pacific Coast Division would leave out the Angels, who would join the Athletics, Diamondbacks and Rockies in a Southwest division.

This division might be among the most competitive in baseball for years to come, with Seattle having emerged as a competitive team year in and year out.

Help: Eight-team division on the West Coast

Potential division: Giants, Padres, Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Rockies, Angels, Athletics, Mariners

It's possible the MLB decides to roll with four eight-team divisions, especially if they add two expansion teams. This potential eight-team division would add three AL West teams to the NL West. The Giants would get to play extra games against the Athletics and Angels, which likely adds wins most years.

A lot remains to be seen with this MLB realignment plan, but it is clear that there are a lot of different outcomes that could either help or hurt the Giants.

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