Baseball players didn’t have any representation at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, but that will change the next time around.
Baseball was voted out of the Olympic lexicon after 2008, but was given a chance in 2020 to make a case for a revival. Its next opportunity to showcase will be at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, a hub of Major League Baseball.
Baseball and softball will be included in 2028, in large part due to baseball’s popularity in the United States as opposed to Paris this summer. And while the L.A. Olympics are still four years away, there are already potential plans in place to have some star names be involved in the festivities.
Players Association executive director Tony Clark spoke about the Olympics and whether or not he sees players from MLB taking part in the 2028 summer games, via David Brandt of Associated Press:
Clark said many MLB players are excited about the prospect of playing in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, but that the “devil is in the proverbial details” when it comes to making it happen.
“There’s a lot of dialogue there,” Clark said. “We haven’t received anything formally. We’ve had conversations with some folks. But the players that we’ve heard from — at least as of right now — are intrigued by the idea.”
If the 2023 World Baseball Classic was any indication, having superstar talent representing their home countries and competing against one another could make for some incredible moments, similar to when Shohei Ohtani struck out then-teammate Mike Trout to clinch the WBC championship.
Talks between MLB and the Players Association will be fascinating as 2028 nears. The MLB season is in direct conflict with the Olympics, unlike the WBC.
If MLB players want to take part in the Olympics, MLB would need to agree to something similar to the NHL, when the season takes a short pause to allow players to go play in the Winter Olympics.
While the games are still four years away, conversations about how to approach that season could begin at any time, and Clark is ready for players to vouch for the opportunity to play.
World Baseball Classic gained popularity in MLB
The 2023 WBC was undoubtedly the best with many players joining to represent their country on the biggest stage. That also inspired more players to look ahead to the tournament, and participation is expected to increase next time around.
However, if the Olympics also becomes a possibility for MLB players, it could potentially decrease the participation in the WBC.
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