Call to the pen
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Rob Manfred announces his retirement date as commissioner of baseball

The commissioner will serve out his current term and not seek another. Manfred will be 70 at the expiration of his four-year extension.

By Scott Alan Salomon

Commissioner Rob Manfred at game three of last season's World Series between Texas and Arizona. Manfred will not seek another term and will finish out his contract which expires in January, 2029.
Commissioner Rob Manfred at game three of last season's World Series between Texas and Arizona. Manfred will not seek another term and will finish out his contract which expires in January, 2029. / Harry How/GettyImages
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Rob Manfred has had enough of the fun. According to CBS Sports, he is ready to retire when his current term ends on Jan. 25, 2029.

"You can only have so much fun in one lifetime. I have been open with them (the owners) about the fact that this is going to be my last term.""

- Rob Manfred, MLB Commissioner

Manfred, who will be 70 years old at the end of his current term, will not seek reappointment. He has held the title of commissioner since January 2015 and replaced Bud Selig, whom Manfred served under as Chief Operating Officer. Prior to serving in that capacity, Manfred was executive vice president of Major League Baseball.

"“I’m sure the selection process is going to look like it looked the last time,” Manfred said. “There’ll be a committee of owners that’ll be put together and they’ll identify candidates via an interview process and ultimately someone or a slate of people will be put forward.”"

- Rob Manfred, MLB Commissioner

The 65-year old commissioner has dealt with his share of scandals during his tenure. None were as corrosive as the Houston Astros' sign-stealing caper. Manfred also had to direct the MLB teams through a series of rule changes, and deftly figured out how to keep MLB players on the field during the COVID-abbreviated season in 2020.

He is not done with the treacherous waters, as he still has to deal with the ongoing problems related to the Oakland A's and their relocation. That should come to a head this summer. Further, baseball last had a lockout during his tenure, and the Collective Bargaining Agreement is ready to expire in 2026. WIll there be another lockout, or with their be a new agreement? This will fall on Manfred's plate before he retires.

Manfred is also spearheading an expansion campaign, with MLB looking to expand from 30 teams to 32. While that remains a remote possibility, it is more than likely it will create more problems for the aging commish to deal with.

The commissioner was re-elected to his third and final term in January 2023.

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