Earlier this week, the International Olympic Committee announced baseball will be one of the five new sports featured at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Philadelphia Phillies’ star right fielder Bryce Harper welcomed the news with excitement and hopes there will be a place for him on Team USA.
During a recent chat with reporters, Harper said that it is his dream to play at the Olympics.
“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,” said Harper.
The only thing standing between Harper and appearance at the Olympics is the MLB. The league didn’t allow its players to compete at the Olympics in previous instances, with Team USA being represented by amateurs and later minor league players.
“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,” Harper added.
Baseball made its official Olympics debut in 1992 and was part of the program through 2008. It wasn’t part of the next two events before making its return for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Cuba is the most decorated baseball nation at the Olympics, having won three gold medals and two silver medals. Team USA won gold in 2000 and has one silver and two bronze medals on top of that.
