Harper has Olympic ‘dream’ if MLB players OK’d
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David Schoenfield, ESPN Senior Writer
PHILADELPHIA — The International Olympic Committee announced Monday that baseball and softball will be returning to the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles — and Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper said he would love to play and hopes Major League Baseball allows its players to participate.
“My wife actually had a hair appointment this morning and she texted me ‘Happy Birthday’ with that,” Harper said prior to Game 1 of the NLCS on Monday, which happens to fall on his 31st birthday. “She said, ‘Hey, I guess one of your birthday wishes forever got [granted].’ I’m going to be old at that point, so I don’t know if they’re going to want me on the team, but it’s always a dream. I think it’s everyone’s dream to be in the Olympics, especially coming here.”
Baseball was labeled an exhibition sport at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and a demonstration sport at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, then had an official run from 1992 through 2008. Professional players were first allowed in 2000, but MLB refused to release its players, so minor leaguers filled the U.S. rosters. The IOC dropped baseball from the program after 2008, but it returned when Tokyo hosted the 2020 Olympics (held in 2021).
Nippon Professional Baseball paused its season and allowed its best professionals to compete, but the U.S. roster again included minor leaguers.
Harper said he hopes MLB and its owners let major leaguers play in 2028.
“You talk about growing the game and that’s the way you grow it to the highest peak, you have guys who are playing in the league take that break, just like in the NHL, and see what happens,” he said. “I think it would be really cool and a lot of fun.
“I don’t know if they’ll ever go for it, but I would love to put ‘USA’ on my chest and represent it at the highest level. I know the WBC, and everyone loves that and it’s great for the game, but it’s not the Olympics.”
NEW YORK — Dan Iassogna will be the umpire crew chief and work the plate during Tuesday night’s All-Star Game at Atlanta’s Truist Park.
His crew will include Marvin Hudson at first, Chris Segal at second, Jansen Visconti at third, Jeremie Rehak in left and Erich Bacchus in right, Major League Baseball said Thursday.
Iassogna, 56, will work his second All-Star Game. He was at third base for the 2011 game at Arizona.
He worked his first big league game in 1999, was hired to the major league staff in 2004 and appointed a crew chief ahead of the 2020 season. Iassogna umpired the World Series in 2012, ’17 and ’22 along with eight League Championship Series and seven Division Series.
Segal, Visconti, Rehak and Bacchus will work their first All-Star Games and Hudson his second after being in left field in 2004 at Houston.
Tony Randazzo will be the replay umpire in New York.
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Athletics slugger Brent Rooker is adding his name to the list of Home Run Derby participants.
Rooker announced Thursday that he’s participating in the event, which takes place Monday in Atlanta. He will become the first Athletics player in the Home Run Derby since Matt Olson in 2021.
“Competing in the Home Run Derby has always been a dream of mine,” Rooker said in an Instagram post. “Can’t wait to make it happen next week in Atlanta! See ya there!”
Rooker, 30, entered Thursday with a .270 batting average, 19 homers and 50 RBIs, putting him on pace for a third straight season of at least 30 homers. He went deep 30 times in 2023 and had 39 homers in 2024.
His 58 homers since the start of the 2024 season rank him third among all American League players.
The only A’s to win the Derby were Mark McGwire in 1992 and Yoenis Céspedes in 2013 and 2014.
Other announced participants include Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr., Minnesota’s Byron Buxton, Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero, Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz, Seattle’s Cal Raleigh and Washington’s James Wood.
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