Love him or hate him, you have to admit that Bryce Harper is one of the greatest baseball players of this generation.
He’s been considered a prodigy his entire life, and unlike so many, he’s not only lived up to the massive hype – he’s exceeded it.
While winning the World Series is at the front of his mind, Harper recently revealed that there’s another major dream of his that he keeps thinking about – the Olympics.
Harper expressed a strong desire for Major League Baseball to consider suspending its season temporarily to allow players to participate in the Olympics.
Drawing parallels to other sports, Harper believes this move would give MLB players the ultimate honor of representing their countries on the world stage.
Historically, Team USA’s baseball roster has been composed of minor leaguers and former MLB players.
Harper, however, is eager for an opportunity to don the red, white, and blue jersey himself.
“There’s nothing more worldwide than the Olympics,” Harper previously told reporters. “I watch the most random sports in the Olympics because it’s the Olympics, and that’s really cool.
“I love hockey. It’s one of my favorite sports to watch. To see (the NHL) take that three-week break and let those guys go play, that’s another big goal that we should have as Major League Baseball.
“I’ve talked to numerous people with MLB about it. I would love to be a part of that. We have the (World Baseball Classic), but it’s not the same. It’s not … The Olympics is something that you dream about playing in.”
Currently, Olympic baseball rules only permit amateurs and professional players not on MLB’s 40-man rosters to participate, excluding active Major Leaguers from mid-season Olympic involvement.
The 2021 Team USA Olympic roster, for instance, featured notable names like Scott Kazmir, Edwin Jackson, Simeon Woods-Richardson, and Todd Frazier, all of whom had MLB experience.
Despite these limitations, Team USA managed to secure a silver medal in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, falling to Japan, which pauses its domestic league for the games.
Japan’s roster included prominent players such as Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Masahiro Tanaka, and Kodai Senga.
Looking ahead to the 2028 Olympics, Harper, who will be 35 by then, is hopeful for a change.
Since baseball became an official Olympic medal sport in 1992, Team USA has only clinched one gold medal, in 2000, alongside two silver and two bronze medals.
Harper’s Olympic ambition is deeply rooted in his history with Team USA.
Before being drafted #1 overall in the 2010 MLB Draft, he played for the national team’s 16-and-under squad in 2008 and the 18-and-under team in 2009.
Although he was set to play in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, he had to withdraw due to Tommy John surgery in November 2022.
As Harper continues to advocate for MLB’s participation in the Olympics, his passion underscores a broader desire among elite athletes to compete on the grandest international stage.
Currently, Harper is in the middle of another strong season with the loaded Philadelphia Phillies.
He’s batting .303 with 20 home runs and 58 RBIs to go along with a .981 OPS.
What are your thoughts on Harper’s comments?
Do you agree with him that MLB players should be allowed to compete in the Olympics?
Touching on this current season for a second – what are your thoughts on Harper’s Phillies?
Should they be considered World Series favorites???