This is why Nashville mayor Freddie O'Connell met with White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf

A meeting between Nashville mayor Freddie O'Connell and Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf on Tuesday was "introductory in nature," O'Connell's deputy communications director Alex Apple told The Tennessean early Wednesday afternoon.

"The mayor did not share anything with Mr. Reinsdorf that he hasn't previously said publicly," Apple said via text message.

Reinsdorf was in town for the Major League Baseball winter meetings at Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center.

The meeting first was reported by Politico early Wednesday morning and stirred some speculation about the possibility of the White Sox moving to Nashville, a notion Reinsdorf dismissed in early September.

The team's stadium lease expires in 2029. In August, Crain's Chicago Business reported that Reinsdorf was considering relocating the team.

“I've been reading about I've been threatening to move to Nashville,” Reinsdorf said, according to Scott Merkin, who covers the team for mlb.com. “That article didn't come from me. But if we have six years left, we've got to decide what's the future going to be? We'll get to it, but I never threatened to move out."

The White Sox sent a group text to the team's beat reporters Wednesday confirming the meeting between Reinsdorf and O'Connell took place but said the team would not disclose what the two talked about.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred: 'Nashville's on everybody's list'

Nashville has been at the top of some people's wish list as a city for a possible expansion franchise.

The Athletic in June conducted a poll of major league players that showed the city to be an overwhelming favorite for expansion, with 69% of the players voting for Nashville. Montreal was second in the poll at 10%.

In April, commissioner Rob Manfred confirmed there was interest in bringing MLB to Middle Tennessee when the league decided to expand.

"I think Nashville you have to think about as an expansion candidate," he said. "I've said I'd like to see us get serious consideration in trying to get to 32 teams. ... When you think about the available possibilities in terms of expansion, I think Nashville's on everybody's list."

On Tuesday during the Winter Meetings, World Series champion Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy advocated for the idea. He and his wife moved to College Grove a couple of years ago.

"I think it's certainly time to get a major league team," Bochy said in response to a question from Sam Phalen, a reporter for AtoZ Sports Nashville. "I hope it happens."

Music City Baseball present

Representatives from Music City Baseball, including Dave Stewart and Hall of Fame manager Tony LaRussa, were on hand at the Winter Meetings.

The group's vision, according to its website is "to secure Major League Baseball approval of an expansion franchise in Nashville, although relocation and rebranding of an existing franchise would also be considered.

“I'm optimistic that 2024 is going to be the year that (MLB) expansion is going to be discussed and moved forward,” said John Loar, managing director of Music City Baseball. " ... I think 2024 is a big year for that conversation."

O'Connell said during a press briefing Friday that he had no plans to try to woo anyone when it came to the Stars, and that any meetings during the Winter Meetings would be "informal."

"It would be ... just the basis of introducing him to the city more so than saying, 'Hey, come support the Stars being a thing.' We're not even close to that,'" he said.

Many major hurdles remain, such as who will back the team financially and where would a stadium be located.

Those hurdles haven't been enough to stop the speculation about Major League Baseball in Nashville.

ESTES: Major League Baseball is near expansion, and Nashville's endeavor has big questions

HOME, SWEET HOME: How World Series champion Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy ended up moving to Nashville

EXPANSION DREAMS: Will Nashville get an MLB expansion team? Winter Meetings bring spotlight to Tennessee

Tennessean reporter Cassandra Stephenson contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Why Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf met with Nashville mayor