When Will Baseball Be Played at the 2028 Olympics?
MLB has proposed a schedule that could let active major league players compete in baseball at the Los Angeles Olympics for the first time.
The 2028 Summer Olympics are coming to Los Angeles, and active Major League Baseball players may finally get to take part. MLB has put forward a plan that shows how a baseball tournament could fit inside the regular MLB season. The idea is to stretch the usual mid-season All-Star break so players have enough time to compete in the Games.
In the past, it was hard for active MLB players to join the Olympics. The Games were held in other countries, so players had to stop the season and travel far away. That took too much time and effort, which meant most MLB players sat the Olympics out.
This time could be different because the 2028 Games will be held in the United States. MLB and the MLB Players Association — the group that speaks for players — believe they can work out a deal. A report from The Athletic says the league has already built space into the schedule for the Olympic baseball tournament.
The baseball tournament would run from July 13 to July 19, 2028. The first half of the regular season would end July 9, and the All-Star Game would follow on July 11, likely in San Francisco. Once the Olympics end, regular season play would pick back up on July 21.
Still, some problems need to be solved before anything is official. MLB is thinking about a rule to discourage players from skipping the Olympics. Under the plan, players who decline to take part could be placed on a 'restricted list' for 25 days, meaning they could not play for their MLB team during that stretch.
MLB also wants to make sure players don't fake injuries to avoid the Olympics. In its proposal to the players' union, the league said it would work against any attempt to misuse the injury list. Spokesperson Glen Caplin confirmed that MLB sent a formal plan to the union that included a schedule and a rule requiring players to participate.
The players' union has not responded to MLB's proposal yet. Instead, it began its own talks with LA28 — the group organizing the Los Angeles Olympics — about things like housing and tickets for players. The union told MLB it would reply after those talks were done, so the two sides are still working toward an agreement.
"To accommodate the baseball portion of the Olympics, which is to run from July 13-19, 2028, the usual midseason All-Star break would be extended."
Comprehension quiz preview
1. When is the baseball tournament at the 2028 Olympics scheduled to take place?
2. Where is the All-Star Game likely to be played in 2028, according to the article?
3. How many days would a player who skips the Olympics be placed on the restricted list?