Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred believes big leaguers' participation in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics is possible.
Asked in an interview with Kyodo News on Saturday about the prospect of MLB players competing at the Olympics, Manfred said, "Yes, it's possible, but we're not committed to it yet. It is possible."
"We're having conversations with the Olympics. We think LA presents a unique Olympic opportunity for us. We have to have some conversations with our players' association, and we're talking to the Olympic Committee as well. But we do see it as an opportunity."
Baseball returns to the Olympic program in 2028, having missed out in Paris last year.
Manfred is in Tokyo for MLB's season-opening series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday and Wednesday.
A total of five Japanese players, led by Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, will feature in the series.
"There's no question that Shohei is one of the most unique talents in the history of our game, and he's been a huge force in terms of accelerating our growth, certainly here in Japan, Korea and Taiwan as well, throughout Asia," Manfred said.
"He's just a really special player that's been crucial to our business."
Manfred also stressed that viewer ratings in Japan for Game 2 of last year's World Series, the game Ohtani suffered a surgery-requiring left shoulder injury, reached nearly 16 million.
"From a business perspective, when you can deliver that kind of an international audience, in addition to your domestic audience, creates a tremendous business opportunity for the sport," he said.
Manfred added that the Tokyo Series is a very profitable event for MLB, saying, "It also helps us build the excitement surrounding the WBC."
The next World Baseball Classic is scheduled for March 2026, when defending champion Japan will look for its fourth title in six editions.
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