Tampa Bay Rays could play portion of seasons in Montreal: report

Major League Baseball could be returning to Montreal sooner than expected, according to an ESPN report.

While a potential ownership group that includes businessmen Stephen Bronfman and Mitch Garber has been working on acquiring a new team, either through expansion or relocation, Montreal could end up sharing a team that's currently struggling with attendance.

In a tweet, ESPN's MLB Insider Jeff Passan said the Tampa Bay Rays have received permission from MLB to explore sharing the team with Montreal. The team would play early season games in Tampa and finish the regular season in Montreal.

BREAKING: The Tampa Bay Rays have received MLB's permission to explore becoming two-city team: the Tampa Bay area and Montreal, sources tell ESPN. The plan: Play early-season home games in the Tampa Bay area and finish the season in Montreal. News at ESPN: https://t.co/X6uSt4KLfC

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) June 20, 2019

The Rays have been at the center of relocation rumours for several years due to the failure to secure funding for a new stadium. 

Montreal has been without a baseball team since the Expos moved to Washington D.C. in 2004.