MLB Wants to Punish Players Who Skip the 2028 Olympics

Major League Baseball wants to make sure its best players show up for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The league has proposed tough penalties for any player who is chosen to play in the Games but refuses to go without a good excuse. Players could lose more than three weeks of pay and career credit if they skip out. This is a big deal because MLB stars have never played in the Summer Olympics as a group before.

Under MLB's plan, players who skip the Olympics would be placed on the 'restricted list.' That means they would not get paid, and the time would not count toward their career. This penalty could last from July 10, 2028, through August 3, 2028 — a stretch of 25 days. That would push well into the second half of the regular baseball season.

The only approved excuse in the plan is being on the injury list by July 9, 2028. But even then, there is a catch. An injured player who misses the Olympics would not be allowed to return to play or even begin a rehab assignment until August 4. MLB says this rule is meant to stop players from faking injuries just to avoid going to the Games.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred explained why he thinks the Olympics are worth the disruption to the regular season. 'You're disrupting an entire season, and if we're going to undertake that effort, we want our very best out there so that people see how great our game really is,' he said. He also said the Olympics are different from the World Baseball Classic because the Games fall on days when players would normally be playing regular season games.

To fit the Olympics into the schedule, the usual All-Star break would be stretched out. The first half of the regular season would end on July 9, and the All-Star Game would be played on July 11, likely in San Francisco. The regular season would then restart on July 21, giving players time to travel to and from the Olympic competition, which runs from July 13–19.

The head of the MLB Players Association, Bruce Meyer, called the league's proposal 'extreme.' He said players generally want to play in the Olympics because it is a special and patriotic chance. But he also said the union wants to make sure players are treated well, with proper travel, housing, and other support.

Talks are still in the very early stages, and many groups are involved. Besides MLB and the players' union, the International Olympic Committee, the Los Angeles organizing group called LA28, and the World Baseball Softball Confederation all have a seat at the table. Many details still need to be worked out, including player pay, housing, and ticket access for family and friends.

Three countries have already locked up spots in the 2028 Olympic baseball tournament. The United States earned an automatic spot as the host country, while the Dominican Republic and Venezuela both qualified during the most recent World Baseball Classic. Three more spots are still open and will be decided at future qualifying tournaments.