MLB commissioner Rob Manfred teases possible schedule change for the next World Baseball Classic
The timing of the WBC has caused issues, particularly with pitchers who are not yet stretched out in March
Venezuela outlasted USA in a thrilling World Baseball Classic Championship Game (VEN 3, USA 2) Tuesday night in Miami. It is Venezuela's first ever international baseball championship. And now, after two weeks of exciting WBC baseball, we have to go back to boring old spring training for a week before the MLB regular season begins.
In the future, that could change. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred indicated the WBC could move to midseason down the road, perhaps in place of the All-Star Game. Here's what Manfred told the Associated Press:
"Obviously we have commitments to Fox in terms of the All-Star Game in the middle of the season through '28," baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said Wednesday during an interview with The Associated Press. "As the game continues to evolve, we have talked about midseason tournaments in general. And certainly if we decided to get serious about this, about a midseason tournament, this would be an ideal opportunity."
The upside of a midseason WBC is that pitchers would be fully built up and not kept on short pitch limits in the early rounds. Also, everyone will be in the swing of things and not still working to find rhythm and timing. July baseball is better and more crisp than March baseball. On that we can all agree. Moving the WBC to July could improve the quality of play considerably.
How exactly a midseason WBC would work is another matter. Would MLB really pause the regular season for two-plus weeks? What happens with the players not in the WBC? Do you shorten the regular season? Shorten the WBC? Perhaps more pitchers will sign up for the event at midseason, but I don't think that's necessarily a given. Many still won't risk injury.
We could get a preview of a midseason WBC in 2028. MLB players could participate in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, which will be held from July 15-20. The players want to play and Manfred is open to it as well. When both sides want something to happen, it tends to happen. The Olympics could be a test run for a midseason WBC.
The next WBC is currently scheduled for 2030, though that is still subject to change depending on the Olympics and whether MLB decides to move it to midseason (or anywhere else on the calendar).
