Rob Manfred Defends New Jerseys, Wants To Expand MLB And Fix Free Agency

Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred's tenure is coming to an end, the 65-year-old announced on Thursday. 

Well, it's coming to an end in 2029 anyway. 

Manfred announced on Thursday that he won't be seeking another term as commissioner after his existing contract ends. And for many baseball fans, considering his controversial statements and changes, that's great news. But Manfred also made some other, more important, announcements, as well as defended the redesigned on-field jerseys that the league and Nike debuted earlier this week.

READ: Players And Fans Are Very Unhappy With The New MLB Uniforms

During a press conference in Florida, Manfred said that the new jerseys, which have been criticized for their looks and fabrics, are actually "performance wear" that's been "extensively" tested.

"The jerseys are different - they're designed to be performance wear," Manfred said according to SNY TV. "They have been tested more extensively than any jersey in any sport. After people wear them a little bit, they're going to be really popular."

He also said that players liked the new jerseys after wearing them in the All-Star Game in 2023. But those were new designs that weren't connected to existing uniforms. And didn't feature the small numbers and small letters that have been widely derided by fans.

When those are the types of changes being made, it's not hard to see why fans, and even some players, aren't happy. 

Jul 9, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; MLB commissioner Rob Manfred speaks during the first round of the MLB Draft at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports

Manfred Wants To Finalize Expansion Plans, Fix Free Agency Before He Retires

One of the key topics of discussion during his press conference was MLB's pending expansion to 32 teams. Long under discussion, with multiple cities and sites such as Nashville, Austin, Portland and Salt Lake City under consideration, it's a priority for Manfred to have the expansion process "in place" by 2029.

Unfortunately for baseball fans in the hopeful cities, that doesn't mean an official decision will have been made by 2029. But at the very least, the runway will have been cleared for an imminent decision. 

Manfred's long stated publicly that he'd like to have the Oakland A's relocation situation figured out before expanding, and with Las Vegas seemingly on the table for 2028, the timeline makes sense.

Speaking of timelines, Manfred also said he's heard the criticisms about the slow pace of free agency, with big-name players like Blake Snell and Cody Bellinger still unsigned as spring training starts.

READ: What The Heck Is Happening With Unsigned MLB Free Agents Blake Snell And Cody Bellinger?

And in response, he said the league would like to have a "free agency signing period, ideally in December, with a deadline." He also said the league had proposed something similar to the players association, but they were "not well received."

Players and agents likely feel that trying to force signings into a shorter time span would lessen their leverage as the regular season approaches. And they might have a point. But they're also hurting overall interest in the game by not having "two weeks of flurried activity," as Manfred describes.

Manfred Leaves Mixed Legacy

Ultimately, Rob Manfred works for the 30 MLB owners. And to them, he's done an outstanding job. Revenues are up, despite lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. 

The pace of play initiatives were generally very successful in 2023, leading to higher ratings and more attendance. Despite local television challenges, the league is in a strong position to eliminate blackouts for most of the teams, which will undoubtedly increase interest.

But he's also made a number of very controversial decisions, including his lax treatment towards the players who cheated during the 2017 Houston Astros season. Not to mention his labeling of the World Series trophy as just a "piece of metal." Often, it's felt like Manfred doesn't even actually enjoy baseball. At least, the version that existed when he took over.

Though who knows, maybe his replacement in 2029 will be even worse. Never count out MLB owners when given the opportunity to make terrible decisions.