After being excluded from the 2024 Paris Olympics, baseball is returning to Los Angeles in 2028. However, the competition might look much different than the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the last time baseball was contested.
On Tuesday, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred told the Baseball Writers’ Association of America that the league may release active players to compete in the 2028 Olympics. “I think it is a opportunity to market the game on a really global stage. Obviously, the clubs are going to have to endorse this. I mean, this is a big deal,” he said, per the Associated Press. In 2020, MLB did not allow participation from anyone active on a 40-man roster.
The Summer Olympics, of course, fall right in the heart of MLB’s regular season, but the league sees an opening to possibly extend its All-Star break to allow for players to participate. On Monday, the World Baseball Softball Confederation announced the Olympic baseball tournament will be played July 15-20.
“They put out a schedule. They tell you it’s not going to move. We’ll see whether there’s any movement on that,” Manfred said. “It is possible to take it, to play the All-Star Game in its normal spot, have a single break that would be longer, obviously, but still play 162 games without bleeding into the middle of November. That is possible, OK? It would require significant accommodations, but it’s possible.”
Should active MLBers get the green light to play in the 2028 Olympics, the MLBPA would need to approve. In a separate session with the BBWAA, MLBPA executive director Tony Clark told the media, “There’s a lot of work that still needs to be done. We do know players are interested in playing, whether it’s for the Team USA or any number of other teams around the world. … There’s just a lot of conversation that needs to be had sooner rather than later to see how viable this is, but we’re hopeful that we can figure our way through it for the benefit of the game.
“In the event that major league players are going to play, what does that mean and what does that look like?” Clark continued. “And perhaps just as importantly, what does it mean for those players who aren’t participating? What type of scheduling adjustments need to be made? What type of travel considerations and support need to be considered? What does that mean in regards to insurance?”
Still three years out, there’s a lot to consider. But, unlike past years when baseball has been contested in the Olympics, MLB players are closer than ever to getting a crack at a gold medal. And should the league, players, and owners find themselves aligned and willing to compromise — always a big if — the best in the world may very well take the field together come 2028.
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.