“So to me, it seems odd to suggest that slightly larger engines on the same wings and air frame would require a new type rating”
it was more than that: they moved the engines in front of the wings because they were too big to fit under the wings of the 737, and doing that significantly changed the center of gravity of the plane, AND the new engine position kept pushing the nose of the airplane up, hence the addition of the MCAS system to artificially keep pushing the nose of the airplane down ...
Okay. So here's the problem. The bold part of your statement is garbage. Yes, the engines are in front of the wing, but no, they did not just move them there. It's the same spot as with the 737 Classic and NG series. It's the same spot as the Airbus A320 family. It's the same spot as the 757 and every modern twin engine jet liner. Do an internet search. Hell, look at post 15 on this very thread. They were not moved!
So if you are so incredibly wrong on that one piece of information, the rest of your post is also suspect. I don't think you actually know what you are talking about. So do you know for a fact that the MCAS was sneakily installed to avoid a different type rating, or is this just some sort of keyboard commando opinion?