TORONTO — Major League Baseball and the organizing body of the 2028 summer Olympics in Los Angeles are making progress on a schedule that could allow big leaguers to play in the games, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said Saturday.

When LA28 put out a first draft of its schedule in July, baseball was listed for July 15-20, which wasn’t exactly what MLB wanted. The All-Star Game in 2028 would likely normally be scheduled for July 11, and the four-day wait until the Olympic contests begin isn’t ideal for MLB in a situation where the league intends to have a single extended break to accommodate both events.

Prior to Game 2 of the World Series, Manfred indicated there was momentum in scheduling talks, but didn’t give specifics.

“We have made a lot of progress with LA 2028 in terms of the calendar,” Manfred said. “Right now we’re in discussions with the Players Association about that set of issues.”

There doesn’t appear to be any question of whether MLB would ultimately like to make big leaguers available, however.

“I am positive about it,” Manfred said. “I think that the owners have kind of crossed the line in terms of, we’d like to do it if we can possibly make it work.”

Playoff field seems set at 12

This year’s World Series is the fourth played in Major League Baseball’s 12-team playoff system, which was adopted in the 2022-26 collective bargaining agreement and grew the pool by two teams. Another labor negotiation is just a year away, but commissioner Rob Manfred doesn’t appear to be eyeing an even wider playoff field.

“I really like the way 12 has played out,” Manfred said prior to Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday night. “I think the wild-card round (growing into a best-of-three) series like we normally play baseball is a big improvement. And we’ve had great postseasons. We really have.”

Expansion in Canada?

Manfred has said he plans to retire in January 2029 and that he wants two expansion cities picked and approved before he leaves. Adding another team in Canada is possible, he said Saturday, and he noted that Montreal, which previously hosted a big-league team, is not the only option.

“There’s certainly other cities in Canada that would be viable expansion candidates,” Manfred said.

Toronto and Montreal are the two largest cities in Canada by population. Third is Vancouver, where the Blue Jays’ High-A affiliate plays.

Prior to this year, a World Series game hadn’t been played in Canada since 1993.

“The Blue Jays have done a phenomenal job, not only in the home market, but throughout Canada, developing an audience, developing a fan base,” Manfred said. “The numbers of viewers that we’ve had in Canada throughout the postseason, really a boost to the game. So hats off to (owners) Mark and Ed Rogers. They’ve done a great job.”

Labor lawyer doesn’t want to talk labor

Hoping to try to keep the focus on the Fall Classic, Manfred batted away reporters’ questions about whether the owners will pursue a salary cap after next season. The sport’s collective bargaining agreement expires in December 2026. A lockout is widely expected to be in the offing.

“I’m not going to spend a lot of time on labor,” Manfred said. “I’m kind of focused on who’s going to win tonight. I want to get seven exciting games. A year from now, we’ll have plenty of time to talk about labor.”

Sacramento’s first year

The A’s finished their first season in Sacramento with the worst attendance in the majors, with 768,464 tickets sold, just below the Tampa Bay Rays’ 786,750. Both teams played in stadiums built to be minor-league stadiums.

From the get-go in Sacramento, some A’s players were critical of the team’s temporary home before a planned move to Las Vegas. Manfred suggested the experience should be graded on a curve.

“I was in Sacramento the last week of the season,” Manfred said. “I have to say the A’s players were fairly positive about the experience. And I say fairly because it is a minor-league ballpark, I mean, that’s the reality.”