Philadelphia Phillies slugger Bryce Harper already has his sights set on playing baseball for Team USA at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
"I would love to be part of that," Harper said, per Roshane Thomas of The Athletic.
"If I have a chance to put my nation's colors on and represent as I did at 18 and 16 then I would love it," he added.
Despite the sport's absence during the 2024 Summer Olympics, it was announced in Oct. 2023 that baseball will return in 2028.
Harper hasn't represented the U.S. since he made it to the majors in 2012, and he missed out on playing in the 2023 World Baseball Classic due to an elbow issue. However, he explained that the Olympics holds more significance in his eyes compared to the WBC.
"We have the WBC but it's not the same," Harper said, via Thomas. "People can say as much as they want but the Olympics is so worldwide. The WBC is great and brings a lot of people together, but the Olympics is something you dream about playing in."
While MLB players haven't been featured on Olympic teams in the past due to conflicts with the league's regular-season schedule, that may change in 2028. The Athletic's Evan Drellich reported on Feb. 7 that some MLB owners are "increasingly supportive" of sending major league players to the Games.
While Harper will be 35 years old by the time the 2028 Olympics start, he's still remained an imposing force at the plate as he's entered his early 30s. In 2024, he's hitting .268 with a .890 OPS while his 14 home runs are tied for the No. 3 mark among all National League players.
B/R Walk-Off @BRWalkoffBryce Harper and the Phillies are ROLLING 🔥<br><br>(via <a href="">@Phillies</a>)<a href="">
Harper has helped the Phillies get off to a blazing hot start, owning the top overall record in the NL at 44-19.
