Trump criticizes modern MLB during MLS White House…
The celebration revolved around a soccer group, but President Donald Trump was speaking baseball at the White House on Thursday afternoon.
More particularly, his displeasure with the current MLB product.
Trump was internet hosting Inter Miami CF, the 2025 MLS Cup champions that includes world soccer legend Lionel Messi, when he determined to interject a bit of baseball into the dialog.
“I love sports and I watched my friend A-Rod with George Steinbrenner – we’d sit in his box just the two of us,” Trump said, wanting at Alex Rodriguez who was seated to his left in the group. Rodriguez appeared to be at the White House for a different event, as Trump talked about that he told him to come up for the MLS celebration.
“He would never have anybody but me,” Trump went on about the legendary New York Yankees proprietor in Steinbrenner. “He liked me, right? He liked me, he liked you. He liked almost nobody.”
President Trump speaks at an event to honor the 2025 Major League Soccer champions Inter Miami CF in the East Room of the White House on March 5, 2026, in Washington. AP
Then, Trump took a shot at MLB today, a product he isn’t fond of.
“It would be a World Series when baseball was hot – it’s not as hot now, I’ll be honest with you. They do things wrong,” Trump said, though not elaborating. “But when baseball was hot as a pistol, I’d sit [with Steinbrenner] and I’d watch the Yankees. They’d have 30 seats, and it would just be me and him.”
The lack of clarification from Trump can only lead to hypothesis about why he doesn’t like the game today, but there are some debates about the sport and how MLB runs its product.
Trump with former Yankees’ proprietor George Steinbrenner in Tampa, Florida, on Aug. 19, 1988. Getty Images
Among them are big markets versus small markets, as payrolls continue to skyrocket without a wage cap.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are the prime instance, as their spending spree continued this offseason after defending their World Series title in a thrilling seven-game collection with the Toronto Blue Jays last season.
But while the Dodgers own the league’s highest payroll ($396 million), the New York Mets ($368.66M), Yankees ($325.82M) and Philadelphia Phillies ($311.18M) usually are not too far behind.
Trump making ready to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the New York Yankees vs Boston Red Sox recreation at Fenway Park on Aug. 8, 2006. Sports Illustrated via Getty Images
But when they go against groups just like the Miami Marlins ($78.11M), Cleveland Guardians ($94.75M) and Washington Nationals ($102.41M), the expertise hole can sometimes lead to lopsided video games.
MLB has a important yr forward, though, as that all may change if a wage cap is applied in collective bargaining settlement negotiations.
But it doesn’t appear the MLB Players’ Association desires a cap at all, which may lead to some tense negotiations and a potential lockout with the current CBA set to expire at the end of the yr.
Alex Rodriguez swings at the pitch against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on July 21, 2007 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. Getty Images
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred also visited the White House in April 2025, where he and Trump mentioned points pertaining to baseball.
Manfred’s arrival in the nation’s capital got here after Trump said he would pardon the late Pete Rose, MLB’s all-time hits chief, while criticizing the league for barring him from the Hall of Fame due to playing.
Rose was posthumously eliminated from MLB’s completely ineligible record in May 2025, permitting him to be thought of for the Hall of Fame.
Before MLB kicks off its 2026 season, the World Baseball Classic might be held as video games have already begun.
Team USA, fielding one of its best rosters ever, will start its event on Friday in Houston against Team Brazil.
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