Rob Manfred has long been criticized as an MLB commissioner who’s completely out of touch with the league. From introducing the pitch clock to adding a ghost runner in extra innings, it feels like there’s nothing he can do to sway fans in his favor. And after his latest comments? He’s certainly not helping his case.
On Monday, July 21st, Manfred appeared on an episode of Pardon My Take, where he was asked how in touch he really is with the league. His answer might not sit well with the baseball community.
Rob Manfred says he grew up a Yankees fan and still watches a lot of their games
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 21, 2025
(via @PardonMyTake) pic.twitter.com/H3zikKWN9y
“I watch a lot of baseball. I grew up a Yankee fan. I watch a lot of Yankee games still. I try to balance it off with equal time with the Mets because I live in New York,” Manfred said. “I’m flipping between Yankee or Met, and the extra inning package to follow the rest of the league.”
If the Yankees weren’t already the most hated team in baseball, Manfred just gave fans one more reason to believe the conspiracy theories.
The Commissioner just admitted he follows the Yankees
The commissioner grew up in Rome, New York, located northwest of Albany in Oneida County. He attended Le Moyne College and Cornell University, both in upstate New York. So yeah, the hometown ties were always there. But when you're the commissioner of a 30-team league, any hint of favoritism — even by geography — raises eyebrows.
A commissioner is supposed to be neutral. The NBA’s Adam Silver, born in Rye, New York, has publicly stated he doesn’t root for any one team. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who once supported the Colts and Commanders as a kid, has done the same.
Manfred’s comments may not explicitly say he's rooting for the Yankees or Mets — but the optics are bad. Especially given how tight both New York teams are in their respective division races. As of now, the Yankees trail the Blue Jays by three games in the AL East, and the Mets sit just half a game behind the Phillies in the NL East. Whether intentional or not, it sure sounds like Manfred is paying the most attention to two of the league’s most crucial storylines.
Naturally, fans took to Twitter to voice their outrage:
- “Go rig the World Series and win us (the Yankees) a championship.”
- “This should go over well.”
- “We don’t claim him.” (Possibly from both Yankees fans and everyone else.)
While it’s not shocking that a New York native grew up a Yankees fan, it’s the kind of comment that adds fuel to the “Manfred is bad for baseball” fire. And let’s be honest — if you’re the guy overseeing the sport, maybe don’t say you “still watch a lot of Yankee games.”
Then again, can you really blame someone for liking the team with 27 World Series titles?