MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred spoke to reporters ahead of the beginning of the World Series yesterday about a variety of topics. One point of discussion, as relayed by Evan Drellich of The Athletic, was the potential for major league players to participate in the 2028 Summer Olympics, which will take place in Los Angeles. Manfred referenced a push by Casey Wasserman, who acts as CEO of the Wasserman agency and chairman of the LA 2028 organization, making a push to include baseball in the Summer Olympics, which Manfred expressed his support for.
That said, while Manfred noted that the league “will continue to listen as to whether there’s some arrangement that could be worked out… to make it the best possible tournament,” he also cautioned that there are “challenges” that come with staging a tournament like the Olympics in the middle of the major league season, as the 2028 Olympics would be. Olympic baseball was opened to professional players in 2000, but MLB has blocked its players from participating in the games due to its overlap with the big league season, leading to rosters primarily filled by international and minor league players.
Many of the world’s best players not participating led to baseball being dropped from the games entirely in 2012, 2016, and 2024, though that could change if the league and the International Olympic Committee can work out a deal for major league players to participate in the games. It’s unclear how feasible such a deal could be, however, as Manfred explicitly clarified that even as he hopes to support the effort to bring baseball back to the Olympics, he “[is] not saying one word” about allowing big leaguers to partake in the tournament, at least at this point.
More notes from around the league…
- Rangers outfielder Adolis Garcia continued his postseason tear last night against the Diamondbacks, hitting a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th inning to win the game for Texas. Garcia’s heroics last night add to what has been an incredible postseason for the 30-year-old. Garcia has now slugged six homers total across five consecutive games with a long ball, bringing the ALCS MVP’s postseason slash line to an incredible .357/.400/.804 in 60 trips to the plate this October. Garcia, of course, was acquired from the Cardinals back in 2019 in exchange for cash considerations. Former Rangers president of baseball operations Jon Daniels spoke with Rob Bradford on the Baseball Isn’t Boring podcast recently about acquiring Garcia, who noted that Garcia was only available to the club thanks to St. Louis’s considerable outfield depth at the time, credited assistant GM of player development and international scouting Ross Fenstermaker as a key person who vouched for Garcia’s talent within the organization. The acquisition has, of course, worked out wonderfully for Texas, who have Garcia under team control through the end of the 2026 campaign.
- MLB.com’s Scott Merkin recently looked at the questions facing the White Sox this offseason, including the futures of Luis Robert Jr. and Tim Anderson. Merkin, who indicates the White Sox view the coming offseason as more of a short-term “retool” than a full-scale “rebuild,” suggests that Robert is “as close to untouchable” as any player on the roster this offseason in trade discussions. If Chicago indeed intends to avoid a rebuild, that’s sensible, given Robert’s immense talent and four remaining seasons of team control. Perhaps more surprisingly, Merkin suggests that the White Sox “probably aren’t giving up Anderson for nothing” when discussing the club’s upcoming team option decision on his services for 2024. In a poll earlier this month, 60% of MLBTR readers responded that the White Sox should decline Anderson’s option, though Merkin seems to suggest the club either trading him or simply retaining him headed into 2024 is the more likely outcome.
Personally I think the WBC is better than Olympic Baseball.
Agree
Because it has players you want to watch.
What team would allow their pitchers to be used during the season?
I enjoy watching fringe major leaguers representing countries they’ve never visited by qualify for by having their great great great grandparents live there.
You mean Nootbar-san?
Nootbaar’s mother is of Japanese descent. One of his middle names is Tatsuji.
Faint praise.
Has anyone in the MLB office given a thought to proposing Baseball as a Winter Olympics sport? They play basketball as a summer sport, and the WBC is played in February/March. This would allow big leaguers to play without disrupting the season.
Great idea TBH
It would have to be played indoors then. I think the problem would be only x amount of countries have indoor stadiums whose dimensions could accommodate the sport. And theme wise baseball really does not fit winter at all, basketball the NBA plays from fall til June and the sport itself does not really identify with any particular season.
I do like your out of the box thinking here, just stating some issues that come to mind. Ultimately and I hate to say it, but with how long MLB season is it just seems really hard to make it viable for MLB players to partake in Olympics.
Absolutely, there would be logistical hurdles—games around the clock in the early rounds, especially with limited venues, for example—but it could alternate with the WBC in even-numbered years. A possibility, anyway. I have no idea how they plan to incorporate cricket in LA. You think baseball games are long?
Works for some countries. Probably not for others. Just let the top prospects play. Keeps the regular season intact, while adding top talent to the pool.
@Stymeed, the problem is there is no Olympics for baseball in coming Olympics. Olympics don’t want it without MLB players.
It’s not a matter of what season they would play in. How much money do you think it would take to get top players to participate in the Olympics? A lot of players didn’t play in the WBC this year, which probably would have given the title to the USA. But it wasn’t all about money. The Yankees didn’t allow their players into the WBC. Others preferred to concentrate on the upcoming season. But I’m sure Manfred will cut a deal with the IOC once they agree to adopt his assanine rules.
I’m suggesting a compromise, that might appease the Olympics. They want stars. I’m suggesting future stars. Besides, there are many other events that don’t have name recognition in their competition. Name me a synchronized swimmer, or a javelin thrower. How about a member of a rowing team?
It’s not about the money for most players as we saw in the WBC as the money isn’t great relatively. Gleyber Torres, Kyle Higashioka, and Jonathan Loáisiga participated in the last WBC. The IOC doesn’t need to capitulate to Manfred as there are other countries involved in rules setting.
Those sports are bringing in the top athletes in their respective sports. It’s not so much about them wanting stars for their names,the whole premise of the Olympics is the world’s very best competing. They already can have future stars, that is not what they want, they want the best like the other sports that ate in the Olympics.
Dancing with the future stars?
Like moving the Futures Game from All-Star Weekend to the Olympics. Intriguing.
On skis. While shooting a rifle.
Manfraud wants to make more money but fear the union would object to MLBers playing in the Olympics.
Aragon, How exactly would Rob Manfred profit from players participating in the Olympics? If there was a way for the owners and MLB to profit, I feel confident we would have already seen them in the Olympics.
MLB makes more money.
“MLB makes more money.”
A truly thorough explanation.
Olympics means greater international exposure which could lead to MLB generating more revenue internationally through MLB TV, merch sales and potentially more.
That’s why they created the WBC and they have far greater control over the scheduling. Teams are not going to go for risking the talent they ve invested in every other year. It’s either WBC or Olympics its not going to be both. I would see players losing interest in them as well if it was every other season opposed to every 4th year.
You have it backwards. More likely Manfred and the owners would object as they’d have to shut down MLB midseason for a few weeks. Huge, huge revenue loss and the potential for player injuries. The MLBPA, meanwhile, would support it because players may want the option of playing.
.357/.400/.804! I mean come one on. The guy really needs to take a few more walks.
He tried to walk but the ball kept hitting the bat
You’re not wrong
Forget the Olympics. I’d rather watch the regular season as scheduled.
Watching players rep their home countries is fun and builds baseballs brand. Only Manfraud would be too stupid to see that.
unpaidobserver: It also gives plumbers and electricians and dentists a chance to lace ’em up and show that bb needs to spread the game even farther. Maybe Curacao will field a team under it’s own name next time. But I do see potential in Team Great Britain.
Olympics should be minor league and college players
And players who are at the end of their careers. I’m sure the White Sox will let the majority of their farm system – and most of their “major” leaguers – play.
Ooh “air” quotes. I ‘see’ what you “did” “there”
The man presiding over the least cared abt playoffs in recent memory jelly of a sports competition ppl want to watch.
I won’t defend Manfred. But I will say I think this postseason has been a lot of fun. Great game to start the World Series. Nothing wrong with having some new faces in the spotlight.
Completely agree!It’s been a joy to see new teams this year! Hate dynasties. I’ve grown tired of the ‘stros, Dodgers, Yankees, Red Sox( even though my beloved wife is an insufferable Sox fan!).
I agree Don. Its been fun. Lots of talent on the field. Young talent, too. The game is in good hands talent wise but it’s just too difficult to access.
SOOO much young talent. And versatile, well-rounded athletes who can run, hit, and throw. The game has turned a corner in that regard. The beer league softball days are over. Athletes are back. I love it.
Not just young talent. How bout all the journeyman who made mid career course corrections to realize their moment in the spotlight- Sewald, Walker, Kelly-getting their first whiff of success into their 30s- what a motley collection!
Baseball games themselves, in my opinion, were much better this year w the new rules. I went to something like 40 M’s games this year and the park was mostly full of butts in seats. The product and sport itself is fine. The TV problem is twofold in my opinion. It is way too expensive to watch your local team on a streaming service like fubo due to the horrible RSN issue. I’m paying $100/mo just to watch ROOT sports and the playoffs. I will cancel after the WS. Idk if that’s on Manfred but I think he does realize it’s a problem. Secondly, and this IS on Manfred and many prior commish offices as well, the league absolutely sucks at marketing its product. The best players on your favorite team are most likely unknown on a national level except to hardcore fans. It’s pathetic.
The solution, good vibes, is simple: Every team should play one game wearing Yankee uniforms. By the end of the season the national media’s penchant for it’s “All Yankees, All The Time!” approach will make sure everybody will be seen.
For me to watch every Yankees games, I need to subscribe to YES RSN ($240/yr.), MLB.tv, and ESPN+. That’s not on Manfred but individual teams. No question they fail at marketing players. Manfred totally screwed up by calling out Mike Trout to be more marketable. Like that ever works for someone as low-key as he is. Get the ASG and some games back on free network TV.
@unpaid
Boo hoo! Your team didn’t make the post season!
Playoffs have been great. None of my teams are in and I still am having a blast watching them. You don’t need New York or LA to make it a good playoff.
Since no one else wants to bring up Chicago’s retooling… I sincerely believe their fooling themselves.
No way should Robert be untouchable if WAS dealt Soto. Jr. has a more favorable contract and the Sox could potentially receive another teams’ entire farm system.
Agreed. Sox should trade everyone teams are interested in at all, including Cease and Robert. Sign a bunch of scrubs / bounce back candidates and flip the overperforming ones at the deadline. And decline TA. They won’t contend next year, but they can at least improve their team culture.
Why panic and do a wholesale tank? The Twinkie’s are hardly world beaters. The Sox were a playoff team in 20-21. While bottoming out while largely unhealthy, doesn’t the lesson of the ‘23 series featuring two 100 loss teams from 2 yrs ago suggest a regression back to prior form is possible even if a dead cat bounce?
Because the Sox’ vaunted core has proven it’s completely dysfunctional, can’t stay healthy, and can’t even do the fundamentals well. The former White Sox playoff team had regressions from Lynn, Keuchel, and Grandal, and offloaded Abreu, Burger, Giolito, and half their BP. They have 2/5 of a rotation, and you can only count on Cease for volume as the results swing quite a bit year to year. Can’t count on Kopech for even that much. No real help from the farm is coming, save for Montgomery, and even he’s shown a tendency to struggle the first time around at a higher level, meaning he’s unlikely to help next year.
In short, they have a roster full of holes and 1B/DH types (though less on the latter now that Burger and Grandal are gone), no defense outside of Robert and Lee, no farm system to depend on, and an owner unwilling to spend what it takes to win.
The only real path forward is a rebuild that he won’t commit to. Every other option will take longer, cost more, and fall short, unless he goes full Rangers mode on us and shocks the world.
Gesundheit
The Rangers and DBacks were 100 loss teams in 2021, but they also had the 5th and 6th rated farm systems mid 2022. The Sox farm system blows. The Rangers signed Semien and Seager, which is pretty much the main reason their team is good. That took 500M. Jerry would never do that in 10 million lifetimes. The Sox are going to lose at least 90 each of the next 3 years, pretty much. Probably more like 100 to 11o in 2024/25. Regression back to form? Like 1/3 of their team from 2021 is gone including half their pitching staff. Abreu, Rodon, Grandal, Liam, Lynn, Giolito, Graveman, Lopez. Tim and Yoan are complete zeros. Pitching and defense are near worst in MLB, hitting sucks. They’ve had one full season over .500 in the last 10, b/c they are run by complete idiots with an owner that doesn’t let them sign any good players. The biggest FA contract Jerry has ever given was to Benintendi, a mediocre outfielder. Any notion of a “retool” is delusional, the roster is scorched earth already. The franchise is a cesspool.
Why trade Robert or Cease? I mean people really have that much faith the Sox FO will get anything worth it back for either player?!
At this point Robert (at least) sticks around. He is just too good of a player to move, and I do not trust this org to get anything for him anyway….
They must trade every one with some value. Burn that circus to the ground, retool that wasteland of a minors system. Sadly, Reindorf will never let that happend.
Bart I is like every nihilistic south side fan ever
Very 80s – a Styx Def Leppard mash up- that should be their new “Don’t stop Believin’”
Lol. Strange match up but let it fly if it works.
I mean, is a pitty let Robert Jr go but so it was to watched Burger left for practically nothing, and he was one of the few non black hole dark spots on the team. There must be something they can do about that golden chains primadonna parade the South Side have for a team right now.
So does this mean Cease is not available and if he is what is a realistic ask from the Braves for him ???
Could see Cease being available and the Braves would be a nice destination for the Georgia boy. Just not now after a huge regression. If he gets back to form sure- what are the Braves offering ?
If Braves offered Grissom, Shuster & prospect for Cease tomorrow do they do it ????
Even if Cease was at an Ace level I just do not trust the White Sox FO to get anything for him… The White Sox front office looks like they are using the ‘My first GM job’ playset from Fisher Price.. I have ZERO faith that they would get anything of value for Robert or Cease.. Even if they got a lauded group of players, I just see think back to the Sale trade where they got what appear to be now four duds for a guy who took the Red Sox to a WS victory (and yes I know he was not going to see one with the White Sox, but still), Chalk it up to the law of averages, bad luck, or ineptitude but I just have little faith they get what they should for a guy like Robert so they may as well keep him and get some ‘press’ out of him.
Astros hit trash cans > > > Astros hit dingers. The circle of life