Manfred to retire as MLB commissioner in 2029
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David Schoenfield, ESPN Senior Writer
TAMPA, Fla. — Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred told reporters Thursday that this will be his final term in office and he will retire when it expires in January 2029.
Manfred, 65, replaced Bud Selig as commissioner in January 2015 and has since been given two five-year terms. The owners voted in July to give him a third term.
“You can only have so much fun in one lifetime,” Manfred said to reporters at Grapefruit League media day in Tampa, Florida. “I have been open with [owners] about the fact that this is going to be my last term.”
Manfred, a lawyer who has worked with MLB since 1987 — first as outside counsel, then as a chief negotiator for labor matters — took over from Selig, who spent 18 years as commissioner.
In Manfred’s tenure, the game has undergone vast changes. The successful implementation of a pitch clock last year coincided with a nearly 10% increase in attendance, and in 2022, Manfred oversaw playoff expansion to 12 teams.
His tenure will in part be defined by his handling of the Houston Astros‘ cheating scandal, in which he gave players blanket immunity in exchange for their testimony. “Maybe not my best decision ever,” he told Time.
Manfred also oversaw the lockout of players in 2021-22 that pushed the game to the precipice of a significant work stoppage. The league and the MLB Players Association eventually struck a deal on a five-year collective bargaining agreement that will expire after the 2026 season.
Before Manfred leaves the job, he said Thursday, he hopes to have a process “in place” for the league to expand to 32 teams.
Manfred preaches patience on new uniforms
Although some players — and many fans on social media — have criticized the new Nike Vapor Premier uniforms for looking like cheaper replica jerseys, Manfred said they will become “popular” with time.
“We always pay attention to what people are saying about any new initiative. As you know in baseball, with any new initiative there’s going to be some negative feedback,” Manfred said. “First and most important, these are Nike jerseys. We entered into this partnership with Nike because of who they are and the kinds of products they produce.”
There have been multiple reports about players not liking the look or fit, however. Players have also complained there are fewer tailored options available for the pants.
One player, who wished to remain anonymous, told ESPN.com: “They’re not great, definitely not an advancement.”
“The jerseys are different,” Manfred said. “They’re designed to be performance wear as opposed to what’s been traditionally worn, so they are going to be different. But they have been tested more extensively than any jersey in any sport. The feedback from the All-Star Game last year where the jerseys were worn was uniformly positive from the players, so I think after people wear them a little bit, they’re going to be really popular.”
Owners push for free agent signing period
With several top free agents still unsigned, including National League Cy Young winner Blake Snell and postseason hero Jordan Montgomery, Manfred said the owners would prefer a free agent signing period similar to other sports in order to expediate the process.
“We actually made proposals to that effect to the MLBPA. They were not warmly received,” he said. “With the system we have right now, one of the tactics that’s available to player representatives is to stretch out the negotiation in the belief they’re going to get a better deal. That’s part of the system right now. There’s not a lot we can do about it. Certainly, from an aspirational perspective, we’d rather have two weeks of flurried activity in December, preferably around the winter meetings where you’re all there to write about it.”
Manfred ‘confident’ on A’s move to Vegas
There were no new updates on the Oakland Athletics‘ move to Las Vegas or the pending sale of the Baltimore Orioles to private equity billionaire David Rubenstein. Manfred said that he remains “confident” that the move to Las Vegas is “solid” and that the league hopes to move quickly in approving the Orioles’ sale.
While the A’s will play in Oakland in 2024, they are still searching for a temporary home until the proposed Vegas stadium would open in 2028. With the 2025 schedule finalized in July, Manfred said the A’s will need to settle on the 2025 home before then.
MLB to support teams in DSG fallout
The fallout from the Diamond Sports Group bankruptcy case is still ongoing, but Manfred reiterated that the league would be prepared to back teams.
“Any club that Diamond walks away from, we will be in a position to support them, both in the traditional cable model and the digital side of the house,” Manfred said. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s three more or 10 more, we will handle them.”
MLB took over the local broadcasts for the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks last season after Diamond walked away from those deals.
Following up on teams fabricating injuries
Manfred said the league is still looking into teams fabricating player injuries, an issue for which he suspended former New York Mets general manager Billy Eppler last week.
“I’ve read a couple comments from players that we’re following up on,” he said. “If in fact it is more widespread, it concerns me, because it’s a form of cheating and it’s incumbent upon us to figure out if it’s more widespread. One thing I’ve been absolutely clear about: The fact that you allege that somebody else is doing is not a defense if we catch you. Everyone has their own personal responsibility on these issues.”
ESPN’s Jeff Passan contributed to this report.
Hard-throwing rookie Jacob Misiorowski is a National League All-Star replacement, giving the Milwaukee Brewers right-hander a chance to break Paul Skenes‘ record for the fewest big league appearances before playing in the Midsummer Classic.
Misiorowski was named Friday night to replace Chicago Cubs lefty Matthew Boyd, who will be unavailable for the All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Atlanta because he is scheduled to start Saturday at the New York Yankees.
The 23-year-old Misiorowski has made just five starts for the Brewers, going 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA while averaging 99.3 mph on his fastball, with 89 pitches that have reached 100 mph.
If he pitches at Truist Park, Misiorowski will make it consecutive years for a player to set the mark for fewest big league games before an All-Star showing.
Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander getting ready for his second All-Star appearance, had made 11 starts in the majors when he was chosen as the NL starter for last year’s All-Star Game at Texas. He pitched a scoreless inning.
“I’m speechless,” said a teary-eyed Misiorowski, who said he was given the news a few minutes before the Brewers’ 8-3 victory over Washington. “It’s awesome. It’s very unexpected and it’s an honor.”
Misiorowski is the 30th first-time All-Star and 16th replacement this year. There are now 80 total All-Stars.
“He’s impressive. He’s got some of the best stuff in the game right now, even though he’s a young pitcher,” said Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who is a starting AL outfielder for his seventh All-Star nod. “He’s going to be a special pitcher in this game for a long time so I think he deserved it and it’s going be pretty cool for him and his family.”
Carlos Rodón, Carlos Estévez and Casey Mize were named replacement pitchers on the AL roster.
The New York Yankees‘ Rodón, an All-Star for the third time in five seasons, will replace teammate Max Fried for Tuesday’s game in Atlanta. Fried will be unavailable because he is scheduled to start Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.
In his final start before the All-Star game, Rodón allowed four hits and struck out eight in eight innings in an 11-0 victory over the Cubs.
“This one’s a little special for me,” said Rodón, an All-Star in 2021 and ’22 who was 3-8 in his first season with the Yankees two years ago before rebounding. “I wasn’t good when I first got here, and I just wanted to prove that I wasn’t to going to give up and just put my best foot forward and try to win as many games as I can.”
The Kansas City Royals‘ Estévez replaces Texas’ Jacob deGrom, who is scheduled to start at Houston on Saturday night. Estévez was a 2023 All-Star when he was with the Los Angeles Angels.
Mize takes the spot held by Boston‘s Garrett Crochet, who is scheduled to start Saturday against Tampa Bay. Mize gives the Tigers six All-Stars, most of any team and tied for the franchise record.
Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia will replace Tampa Bay‘s Brandon Lowe, who went on the injured list with left oblique tightness. The additions of Estévez and Garcia give the Royals four All-Stars, matching their 2024 total.
The Seattle Mariners announced center fielder Julio Rodríguez will not participate, and he was replaced by teammate Randy Arozarena. Rodríguez had been voted onto the AL roster via the players’ ballot. The Mariners, who have five All-Stars, said Rodríguez will use the break to “recuperate, rest and prepare for the second half.”
Arozarena is an All-Star for the second time. He started in left field for the AL two years ago, when he was with Tampa Bay. Arozarena was the runner-up to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the 2023 Home Run Derby.
Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen, a first-time All-Star, is replacing Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, who is scheduled to start Saturday night at Arizona. Rasmussen is 7-5 with a 2.82 ERA in 18 starts.
San Diego added a third NL All-Star reliever in lefty Adrián Morejón, who replaces Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler. The Phillies’ right-hander is scheduled to start at San Diego on Saturday night. Morejón entered the weekend with a 1.71 ERA in 45 appearances.
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