MLB trying to work out 'logistics' for players to participate in 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles

MLBPA director Tony Clark said he's already heard of players who are interested in competing

Commissioner Rob Manfred said Tuesday that Major League Baseball is "trying to iron through (the) logistics" that would allow MLB players to participate in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. MLB officials met with Olympic representatives earlier this week and both the league and players have interest in Olympic participation.

Here's what Manfred said about the 2028 Olympics on Tuesday (via MLB.com):

"I think that the idea of playing in L.A. in '28, regardless of the merits of the possibility of ongoing Olympic participation in another location, that there's some merit to it," Manfred said Tuesday during a Q&A session with the Baseball Writers' Association of America. "I think it is an opportunity to market the game on a really global stage."

Tony Clark, director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, similarly said his team is trying to work out a plan.

"We do know players are interested in playing, whether it's for Team USA or for any number of other teams around the world," he said. "We've got the WBC, which players are telling us they're interested in playing in, as well. 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 out a way to do it."

Currently, only amateurs and professional players not on the 40-man roster are allowed to participate in the Olympics. Team USA's roster in 2020 featured minor-league journeymen, a few top prospects, and several unsigned free agent veterans. Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball and the Korea Baseball Organization halted their regular seasons so professionals could play in the 2020 Olympics, during which Japan beat USA in the gold medal game.

The schedule and insurance would likely be the biggest logistical issue. The 2028 schedule, released Monday, set games for July 15-20 at Dodger Stadium, which would likely fall around the All-Star break but stretch longer than the typical Midsummer Classic.

The NHL has paused its season for the Olympics in the past and their players will participate in the 2026 Olympics for the first time since 2014. The hiatus was related to insurance, among other things. The NHL wanted the International Olympic Committee to cover the salary of any injured players, the IOC refused, so on and so forth. MLB may also have to work through similar insurance issues.

"There's nothing more worldwide than the Olympics," Phillies star Bryce Harper said about the Olympics last year. "I watch the most random sports in the Olympics because it's the Olympics, and that's really cool. I love hockey. It's one of my favorite sports to watch. To see (the NHL) take that three-week break and let those guys go play, that's another big goal that we should have as Major League Baseball."  

Baseball was a full-time Olympic sport from 1992-2008. Cuba has won three gold medals (1992, 1996, 2004) and South Korea (2008), Japan (2020), and USA (2000) have one gold medal apiece. As a minor leaguer, former Milwaukee Brewers ace Ben Sheets threw a complete game shutout against heavily favored Cuba in the 2000 gold medal game.