Last week we pointed out that the World Baseball Classic It needs improvements and those criticisms remain valid. Now an element is added that opens a new debate. The tournament that will be held from March 6 to 17 will grant places for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
With the Olympic event taking place in the middle of summer, the big question is whether the players of Major Leagues will be able to participate. By then, the teams MLB They are already quite clear if they are contenders for the postseason or if their season is practically lost. In that scenario, how willing will the clubs be to give up their figures for a tournament that they do not directly control? The Classic is organized by MLB itself, but it is not clear if the real impact of players requesting permits in the middle of the campaign was measured.
Will teams concede them? How will insurance be handled? Who assumes the risk of an injury in the middle of the season? The contrast with basketball is inevitable. The NBA does not coincide with the Olympic calendar and that has allowed the Games to historically feature stars such as Michael Jordan, LeBron James either Kobe Bryant. In baseball, on the other hand, the clash of calendars makes it almost utopian to think about an Olympic tournament with the great figures of the moment.
Similar, but different to football
From my point of view, it is an Olympic ticket that, for those who qualify, will be achieved by protagonists who will not be in Los Angeles. It is not a phenomenon exclusive to baseball, something similar happens in soccer, with selections limited by age and just a handful of reinforcements. The difference is that football does have a consolidated World Cup.
Baseball was already Olympic, but its return maintains the same weakness, not being able to count on its stars. As long as this clash with the MLB is not resolved, the Classic needs to establish itself as the baseball world championship before handing out Olympic tickets.
