Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper is advocating for Major League Baseball players to participate in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, citing key differences between the Olympics and the World Baseball Classic (WBC).
Harper’s stance stems from the current restriction that players on a Major League Baseball 40-man roster cannot compete in the Olympics. Only prospects and free agents are allowed to represent their countries. Harper argues that baseball should consider how other sports have leveraged Olympic exposure to boost interest in their respective games.
“I would love to be a part of that. We have the WBC, but it’s not the same. People can say whatever they want, but the Olympics are global. The WBC is fantastic and brings a lot of people together, but the Olympics are something you dream of playing in. If I have the opportunity to wear my nation’s colors and represent like I did when I was 18 and 16, then I would love to,” Harper said on Saturday, according to Roshane Thomas of The Athletic.
“Not having baseball in the Olympics is really tough. I love hockey, and it’s one of my favorite sports, and watching it in the Olympics is one of the coolest things ever. They take that three-week break and let those guys go play. That’s another big goal we should have in Major League Baseball,” Harper added.
Is this likely to happen?
A report in February indicated that some MLB team owners are increasingly supportive of allowing players to participate in the 2028 Olympics. The tournament could potentially be scheduled during the MLB’s annual All-Star break. However, nothing official has been decided yet.
Harper was initially slated to represent the United States in the 2023 World Baseball Classic but had to withdraw due to injury. Instead, other star players such as Trea Turner, Mike Trout, and Nolan Arenado competed, ultimately finishing as runners-up to Japan in the tournament.
