TAMPA, Florida – Rob Manfred has had enough fun, or so he says.
On Thursday at the New York Yankees’ spring training complex in Tampa, Major League Baseball’s division commissioner made a very clear statement about the end of his tenure. The 65-year-old Manfred, in response to a question about his future life, indicated that his tenure as commissioner would be his last. After the 2028 season, there will be a new top man in baseball.
“I started a five-year career. That bill, right? That makes me 70 years old. You can only have so much fun in one lifetime,” he joked to a section of the media. “I was open. [the 30 MLB franchise owners] Because this will be my last term.
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It was clear from the nature of his comment that Manfred did not intend for this revelation to make headlines. After the news conference, he appeared surprised by the attention it brought. This was far from a pre-planned announcement. However, Manfred’s admission Thursday was far and away the most accurate timeline the commissioner gave publicly.
Last July, MLB’s 30 club owners voted to extend Manfred’s contract through the 2028 season. He told reporters around that time. Including the athlete Ivan DrelichAs he says, “I do the best job in the world. My current mindset is that I want to continue.
It remains to be seen if Manfred’s mind has changed over the past seven months or if this was always the plan or if he is taking advantage of the lack of public interest with team owners. A lot can and will change between now and 2028, but Manfred reportedly earns close to $25 million annually — not an easy bag of money to leave behind.
Because there may be a free agent deadline
While his comments about starting eventually grabbed the headlines, it wasn’t the only notable part of Manfred’s annual spring training address. Asked about the glacial pace of this winter’s free agent market — reigning NL C Young winner Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, Matt Chapman and Cody Bellinger are all still available — Manfred hinted at the possibility of a free agency deadline.
“We’d prefer to have the free agent signing period, ideally, probably in December, with the deadline for people to get their deals done,” he said.
Manfred said the league made similar proposals to the MLB Players Association, which “didn’t receive a warm welcome.” (No wonder the union opposes any arbitrary time limit that might remove benefits and undermine value). Although such a deadline could make MLB free agency a more compelling entertainment product, there is no clear incentive for players or agents to do so.
On the league’s new jersey
The free agent pool remains frozen, but talk of MLB’s new uniforms is heating up a bit. The Fanatics made Nike Dudes – officially known as the Nike Vapor Premier Jerseys – feel cheaper in appearance and price than previous versions. Also, the MLB logo on the back of the uniform is dropped to a few inches and the nameplate fonts are too small, creating a cluttered look that can be frustrating for fans and players alike.
Manfred played the politician when asked if he could handle the reaction in the background.
“Well, we always pay attention to what people say about any new initiative. And with a new initiative there’s going to be some negative reaction,” he said.
Finally, Manfred’s comments about the Oakland A’s moving him to Las Vegas are sure to ruffle some feathers. Asked by Yahoo Sports how the league plans to maintain its presence in Oakland after the A’s leave the city, Manfred pointed to the Bay Area.
“First of all, we have a major league team in the Bay Area,” he said. “It’s not like there isn’t an alternative. The Giants still play there.
While Manfred’s involvement with the MLB community in the East Bay and the league’s commitment to the youth program shows the league’s commitment to the region, the implication that A’s fans should ditch their green and gold hats for the black and orange will no doubt paint Oakland die-hards. The wrong way.
Where will the A’s play when their lease expires at the Coliseum at the end of 2024 and Opening Day in 2028? Manfred’s guess is as good as yours. Several deadlines have passed to find a temporary home for the organization, and Manfred again insisted that plans must be completed this summer for MLB to adequately prepare for next season’s schedule.