Rob Manfred would go down in MLB history as one of its most transformational commissioners. From hinting about implementing a salary cap to expanding MLB to 32 teams, Manfred has a few changes on his plate. However, what he hinted at on Wednesday could change the course of how baseball is played now. With the 2026 WBC breaking attendance and broadcast viewer records, Manfred is all for cashing in on it to the max, but not without facing resistance.

“MLB commissioner Rob Manfred says the continued growth and success of the World Baseball Classic could lead to a midseason competition in the future,” ESPN reports.

Imagine a WBC integrated into the MLB schedule alongside the All-Star Game. Yes, that’s what Manfred is dreaming of. Since its inception in 2006, the WBC has been played during the spring season. This ensures that the regular MLB season doesn’t get affected. But as per Manfred, if fans are loving the WBC, why not offer them the product more frequently?

“As the game continues to evolve, we have talked about midseason tournaments in general. And certainly if we decided to get serious about this, about a midseason tournament, this would be an ideal opportunity,” Manfred said on Wednesday.

Now, while a WBC in mid-season sounds irresistible from a business perspective, it has the risk of diluting its very true flavor. For instance, FIFA World Cups are played every four years, and so are other sports. With the FIFA World Cup being such a huge global affair, conducting it more frequently would dilute its attraction.

Moreover, the injury concerns would rise further. “You’re putting more players at risk of injuries,” Foul Territory’s Erik Kratz said. He cited Japanese major leaguers like Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. They travelled to and fro between the US and Japan to play the games. Due to a rigorous travel schedule and the risk of injuries, WBC 2026 missed a few marquee players.

According to Kratz, with more frequent WBC events, the risk of injuries would only increase. It would see more names giving it a miss. For instance, during this WBC, Seiya Suzuki injured himself badly. He is now uncertain to be available for the Cubs by Opening Day. But that doesn’t change the fact that fans wholeheartedly accepted the 2026 WBC.

The 2026 WBC is arguably the most successful in history. It drew 1,619,839 fans across 47 games, a 24% rise from the 2023 event. The final between Venezuela and Team USA averaged over 10 million viewers in the U.S. alone, setting a new record for the event.

But as Manfred is planning for a midseason event or a WBC every three years, insiders are skeptical about whether that could maintain the growing popularity.

Rob Manfred means business

Despite the resistance to most of his decisions, like MLB expansion or the salary cap, and now frequent WBCs, there’s no doubt that Rob Manfred means business. He knows the evolving sports scene best.

For example, the 2026 WBC proved that October may still decide championships, but March will decide the future of baseball hereon. The iconic moments that the WBC offered this time, along with all the adrenaline rushes fueled by national pride, recreated a playoff-like scene. Even an MLB veteran like Aaron Judge can’t help but acknowledge the WBC’s popularity.

“It’s bigger and better than the World Series. The passion these fans have for representing their country, representing their favorite players. There’s nothing like it,” Aaron Judge said.

Fans from the U.S., Japan, Italy, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela watched the event with all their attention. Manfred now recognizes where the future of the game lies. With MLB still centered around the U.S., the WBC could be the right tool to globalize the game. Still, Manfred is not stopping here.

Just as the sports betting industry is exploding globally and several leagues are joining in, Manfred doesn’t want to keep MLB isolated. MLB just partnered with Polymarket to open baseball fans to market prediction investment. While the move alarms baseball purists, Manfred continues to embrace these changes eagerly.