Alex Rodriguez: Rob Manfred Saved Baseball, Deserves Hall of Fame

Baseball, America’s pastime, has been dragged into the modern era—kicking and screaming—thanks to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred. And guess what? It’s working. The numbers don’t lie: game times are down over 30 minutes from their 2021 peak of 3:11, attendance has climbed for two straight years (a feat not seen since 2011-2012), and World Series viewership hit its highest mark since 2017 with the Yankees-Dodgers clash. Even MLB on TV is enjoying a 10% ratings bump. Manfred’s changes—think pitch timers, bigger bases, and shift restrictions—have injected new life into a sport that some feared was becoming a snooze fest.

But not everyone’s chanting his name. Manfred’s tenure hasn’t been without controversy. From letting the Houston Astros off lightly for their 2017 sign-stealing scandal to calling the World Series trophy 'a piece of metal,' he’s ruffled plenty of feathers. Add in a work stoppage—the first since 1994—and a looming lockout after next season, and you’ve got a mixed bag. Yet, money talks, and under Manfred, the league’s cash registers are ringing louder than ever.

Enter Alex Rodriguez, a man who knows a thing or two about baseball drama. Despite Manfred’s role in his 2014 suspension over the Biogenesis scandal, A-Rod is singing the commissioner’s praises. On The Herd ahead of the All-Star Game, Rodriguez called himself 'a big Rob Manfred fan,' crediting him with 'saving our game' through recent reforms. He even suggested Manfred deserves a spot in Cooperstown. High praise from someone who’s been on the wrong side of the commissioner’s gavel.

Manfred’s also made bold moves beyond gameplay—integrating Negro League stats into MLB records, reviving the World Baseball Classic, and reinstating legends like Pete Rose and 'Shoeless' Joe Jackson. Sure, 2025 attendance is trending lower so far, but with summer games still ahead and some teams stuck in minor league parks, it’s too early to call it a slump.

Love him or hate him, Manfred’s reshaping baseball. And if A-Rod’s right, the Hall of Fame might just have a plaque waiting for him.