Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said Thursday that he plans to step down when his contract expires in January 2029.
Manfred, 65, received a five-year extension approved unanimously by owners last July. The 2024 season will mark his 10th year in the position.
“There's only so much fun in life,” Manfred told reporters at the Grapefruit League media day in Tampa, Florida. “I have been open with [owners] about the fact that this is going to be my last term.
Manfred, a lawyer who has worked with MLB since 1987, first as outside counsel and then as chief negotiator on labor issues, replaced Bud Selig, who spent 18 years as commissioner.
During Manfred's tenure, the game has undergone major changes. The successful implementation of a shot clock last year coincided with a nearly 10% increase in attendance last year, and in 2022, Manfred oversaw the expansion of the playoffs to 12 teams.
His tenure will be defined in part by his handling of the Houston Astros cheating scandal, in which he gave players full immunity in exchange for their testimony. “It might not be the best decision I've ever made,” he told Time.
Manfred also oversaw the player lockout in 2021-22 that brought the game to the precipice of a significant work stoppage. The league and the MLB Players Association finally reached an agreement on a five-year collective bargaining agreement that will expire after the 2026 season.
Before Manfred leaves the job, he said Thursday, he hopes to have a process “in place” for the league to expand to 32 teams.
