Will MLB send its best players to LA 2028 Olympics similar to NFL commitment? Everything we know so far about the situation

The MLB is yet to take a final decision on whether its top players will play at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles because of the logistical challenges of stopping the regular season.

The LA28 organizing committee, headed by President Casey Wasserman, has made their intentions clear of having the best players at the tournament, but Rob Manfred and the 30 teams' owners are yet to take the final call.

Baseball's situation is unique unlike other North American professional sports that are staged at the Olympics. Alongside baseball, Los Angeles will also feature flag football as an additional sport. The NFL has confirmed the participation of its players in the 10-man per team event.

However, the NFL teams will only be in preseason training during the tournament, avoiding any logistical hassles, which is a similar story for the NBA. The NHL, which has announced its players will feature at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, like the MLB, will have to pause its regular season to make space for the tournament in their calendar.

However, ice hockey has been a regular staple at the Olympics, with professional players allowed to take up their country's sweaters in the past. Baseball has only made sporadic appearances at the Games. It was introduced as a demonstration sport in 1984 in LA, and only received official status at the Barcelona Games eight years later.

US Minor league players played for three editions, from 2000 to 2008 before the sport was dropped because of lack of professional players. Even with its reintroduction in 2021, only players outside the 40-man roster of an MLB team were allowed to participate, making LA 2028 unique.

“We have the best athletes in every sport,” LA28 chief Casey Wasserman told LA Times. “Wimbledon will end. They’ll come here. The Tour de France will end. They’ll come here and compete. "Obviously, men’s and women’s basketball will have the greatest basketball players in the world. So we think that a sport like baseball ought to have the best players in the world playing.”

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MLB Players' Union wants clear plan from the league

MLB Players' Union Executive Director Tony Clark has said that while they have had positive informal conversations with LA28 committee members, they would require a plan from Manfred and Co. about the direction they want to take.

“It’s not that simple a question,” Clark said.

The tournament set to be held at Dodger Stadium will be a six-day event, with six teams participating. The six-day halt in the regular season could be managed by adjusting 2028's regular season by starting and ending it at alternate dates, most likely three days each. The MLB might also have to take a decision on the All-Star Game.

Edited by Bhargav