Commissioner Rob Manfred said Monday that Montreal needs a new stadium to have any chance of bringing baseball back to the city.

"The key thing in Montreal would be to have a plan for an adequate facility that could support baseball over the long haul," Manfred told The Canadian Press.

Montreal will host two exhibition games between the Toronto Blue Jays and Cincinnati Reds at Olympic Stadium this week.

The league would need a strong commitment from Montreal for a new stadium before the league could seriously consider relocating a team or expanding there, according to the commissioner.

"I don't expect people to go into the ground and build a facility without some sort of commitment that they are going to get a team," he said. "But I do think that you need a plan and a commitment to how that plan is going to be executed."

The Expos joined the National League for the 1969 season and remained in the big leagues through 2004 before moving to Washington and becoming the Nationals.