MLB proposes penalties for players who skip 2028 Olympics

Major League Baseball has proposed a rule that would impose significant penalties on players selected for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics who decline to participate without league approval, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from the players' union as negotiations continue. The proposal, part of ongoing collective bargaining talks, aims to ensure star participation when MLB halts its regular season for the Games but is described by the MLB Players Association as extreme.

Under the league's plan, players who opt out without an approved excuse would be placed on MLB's restricted list, forfeiting approximately 25 days of salary and service time toward free agency or arbitration from July 10 through August 3, 2028. They would also be prohibited from playing for their clubs during that period. The proposal includes specific provisions for injured players, who would be excused from the restricted list but barred from returning to regular-season action until after August 3, a measure intended to prevent teams from using phantom injuries as a workaround.

Commissioner Rob Manfred defended the approach, stating that pausing the season is a disruptive undertaking for the league. He argued...