Mlb Commissioner Rob Manfred Shows Willingness To Consider Major League Baseball Players Participating In The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

In a recent statement, baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred revealed that Major League Baseball players could potentially participate in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. However, there are several obstacles that need to be overcome before players like Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, and Bryce Harper can compete for a gold medal.

Baseball was previously a medal sport from 1992 to 2008 but was then dropped until the 2021 Tokyo Games. MLB only allowed the participation of players who were not on 40-man rosters. Even then, many eligible prospects were prevented from playing by their clubs.

Although baseball was not included in the upcoming Paris Olympics, it has been restored for the 2028 Olympics. MLB owners received a presentation by LA 2028 chairman Casey Wasserman in February regarding major leaguers’ potential participation.

In a recent discussion with Casey, we explored various possibilities. We considered what it would entail, what compromises would need to be made in terms of our season. As of now, I am open-minded about the topic,” Manfred shared during an interview with the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Manfred emphasized an important point from Casey’s presentation, stating, “When you’re in Paris, they’re probably not going to build a baseball stadium. But when you’re in LA, you focus on LA. It is an opportunity that we need to think about.”

The 2021 Olympic gold medal game saw Japan emerge victorious over the U.S., aided by a national team that benefited from the interruption of Nippon Professional Baseball.

One of the significant concerns lies with the issue of insurance coverage for major leaguers. Even in the World Baseball Classic, where MLB and the Major League Baseball Players Association collaborated, numerous top players were blocked from participating by their respective teams, particularly starting pitchers. In the previous WBC, Mets closer Edwin Diaz suffered a right patellar tendon tear while celebrating Puerto Rico’s victory, causing him to miss the 2023 season.

Speaking before Manfred, union head Tony Clark noted, “The feedback we’ve received from players so far indicates an interest in participating if given the opportunity. Based on the current feedback, we anticipate having a conversation regarding this matter. However, the players will ultimately determine the extent to which they wish to engage with this not only for 2028 but also for future Olympics. We recognize the potential of 2028 being a building block to consistently include baseball in the Olympics moving forward.”