As announced baseball would return for the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles, earlier the International Olympic Committee approved the addition of baseball.
Baseball was officially an Olympic sport in 1992, scrapped after the 2008 Games, brought back for the 2020 Tokyo Games in baseball-mad Japan, and again left off the Paris 2024 slate.
In the initial years, Baseball in the Olympics was only open to amateur players and Pros were later permitted, but MLB hasn’t let its players participate.
Bryce Harper wants to play in the Olympics.
(He also wanted to play in the WBC)
pic.twitter.com/VeeQh545cp— Shawn Spradling (@Shawn_Spradling) February 8, 2024
Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper said he would love to see Major Leaguers allowed to play and want to take a swing at the Olympics, 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.
Harper recorded a two-time NL MVP and batted .368 with three homers for the Phillies in the postseason. He had signed a 13-year, $330 million contract with the Phillies ahead of the 2019 season, 10 years into the contract and 35 years old, hoping to get the chance to play for Team USA in LA.
He shared,
“You talk about growing the game, and that’s the way you grow it at the highest peak. 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 the USA on my chest and represent it at the highest level.”
Cricket, flag football, softball, lacrosse, and squash also were approved by the International Olympic Committee to be held at the Los Angeles Games.
