On Monday, the International Olympic Committee announced baseball and softball are among the sports that will return for the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. Baseball was not played during the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, then returned on what amounted to a trial basis in 2020 (the 2020 games were played in 2021 because of the pandemic). Now baseball will be back again in 2028.
At the moment only amateurs and non-40-man roster professionals are eligible to play in the Olympics, though at least one MLB star -- Philadelphia Phillies slugger Bryce Harper -- hopes big leaguers will be allowed to participate in 2028. Here's what Harper told the Associated Press on Monday:
"You talk about growing the game, and that's the way you grow it at the highest peak," Harper said. "You let guys that are playing in the league take that break just like in the NHL and see what happens. I think it would be really cool. I think it would be a lot of fun. I don't know if they'll ever go for it, but I would love to put USA on my chest and represent it at the highest level."
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"I will be old at that point, so I don't know if they're going to want me to be on the team, but it's always a dream," Harper said. "I mean, I think it's everybody's dream to be in the Olympics."
By "old at that point," Harper means he will be 35 come the 2028 Olympics, which is getting up there in baseball years but not over the hill. Players with superstar ability like Harper don't age like typical players, plus Harper's greatest skills -- power and plate discipline -- are skills that typically age well. He has as good a chance to be productive in 2028 as any 35-year-old.
Travel to Los Angeles would be relatively easy for MLB players. The question is whether MLB would allow a 14-plus day break in the middle of the season (the 2028 Olympics are scheduled for July 14-30). NHL players have not participated in the Olympics since 2014, largely because of insurance issues, though the NHL has in the past paused its season so players could go to the Olympics.
Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan and the Korea Baseball Organization paused their 2021 seasons so players could participate in the Olympics. Japan beat USA in the gold medal game with a roster loaded with NPB stars. USA's roster was mostly journeymen minor leaguers with some top prospects and unsigned veterans, like Scott Kazmir and David Robertson.
Harper did commit to play for USA in this spring's World Baseball Classic, though he had to withdraw from the event after having Tommy John surgery last November. As an amateur, he played on USA Baseball's 16-and-under team in 2008 and 18-and-under in 2009, and was essentially the best player on the field in both tournaments.
Baseball became an Olympic sports in 1992. 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 Cuba in the 2000 gold medal game.
