Shohei Ohtani is spearheading the effort to bring big leaguers to the Olympics in 2028

Imagine Shohei Ohtani leading Team Japan against his Dodgers teammates Mookie Betts (Team USA) and Freddie Freeman (Team Canada) in Los Angeles alongside the MLB's biggest stars and top athletes from around the world. What could be better for the game?

The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar is leading the charge to bring MLB players to the 2028 Summer Olympics where baseball is expected to return for the first time since the 2020 Tokyo games. Per Yahoo Japan, Ohtani is slated to meet with Executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association Tony Clarke this offseason to discuss including MLB players in the games.

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Shohei Ohtani and other MLB stars want to participate in the Olympics

While the World Baseball Classic offers opportunities for MLB players to represent their countries, they have never been able to participate in the Olympic games. Several players including Ohtani, Aaron Judge, and Bryce Harper vocally want to participate.

“I’d like to play in the Olympics," Ohtani told Sports Illustrated. “Also, knowing the fact that there will be non-baseball fans watching the games as well, I think it would be really good for the baseball industry.”

Having MLB players participate in the Olympics aligns with the league's goal of growing and internationalizing the game. There is no better sports publicity than the Olympics which could expose an entirely new audience to baseball.

The good publicity could make working out the logistics worth it for the league

One of the reasons the MLB players have never played in the Olympics is that it is a logistical nightmare to work out. Suspending the season needs to be included in the next CBA negotiations in 2026, the league might need to cancel or alter the 2028 All-Star Game, and arrangements will be made for extra insurance policies for participating players.

The league is, however, open to the idea with Tony Clark saying, "the feedback that we’ve gotten so far from players is such that there is an interest in participating if given an opportunity.”

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has echoed this saying that he is "open-minded" on the idea of MLB players participating in the Olympics.

It is clear that the players are on board, it is just a matter if the league is willing to weed through the necessary logistics. With four years until the games, there is plenty of time for the MLB to figure everything out.