The relationship between baseball and the Olympics seems to be on its way to a reconciliation in 2028. The discussion now revolves around what the team rosters might entail for the upcoming games. Commissioner Rob Manfred has expressed openness to the idea of having major leaguers participate, despite some historical obstacles. After being excluded from the 2024 Paris Olympics, baseball will make a return at the Los Angeles Games in four years.
During the Tokyo Olympics, Major League Baseball permitted players not on 40-man rosters to participate, but many eligible prospects were blocked by their teams from joining. The potential health risks became apparent when Edwin Díaz suffered a season-ending injury at the 2023 World Baseball Classic. This led to a relatively low-key U.S. team in 2021, featuring some recognizable names like Todd Frazier and Edwin Jackson, alongside promising young players such as Tristan Casas and Shane Baz.
One possible compromise for future Olympics could involve excluding active major leaguers from the roster while allowing top prospects who have not yet reached the majors to compete. This concept could turn the event into a tournament resembling the All-Star Futures Game. In 2000, Ben Sheets led the U.S. team to a gold medal victory by defeating a strong Cuban team. Nowadays, fans have better access to monitoring top prospects, leading to increased excitement around the potential participation of promising minor leaguers in the Olympics.
With the U.S. hosting the Olympics in 2028, there is a clear opportunity for the baseball tournament. However, discussions are needed among players, team owners, and Commissioner Manfred to decide on the best approach for the future of baseball in the Olympics. In the midst of these considerations, baseball enthusiasts can reminisce about past triumphs, like Tommy Lasorda managing the U.S. baseball team to gold in 2000 and the notable performances in recent games.
