A-Rod just lobbed a fastball right down the middle for Rob Manfred, and it was glowing. You don’t often hear players—especially former ones—go full-throttle in praise of the guy running the show, but Alex Rodriguez didn’t hold back during a sit-down with Colin Cowherd on The Herd. With all the MLB All-Star festivities swirling around, A-Rod decided to toss out a bold statement that Rob Manfred belongs in the Hall of Fame.
A Surprising Shoutout on the National Stage
This isn’t just a “he’s doing a good job” pat on the back. This was full-on Cooperstown canonization. Rodriguez called Manfred a game-saver, crediting him for the sweeping changes over the past few years—changes that, according to A-Rod, have “single-handedly” revived Major League Baseball.
Now, before you grab your pitchforks or your foam fingers, let’s dig into the meat here. Rodriguez pointed to the rise in umpiring accuracy thanks to tech improvements and replay reviews—stats to back it up, too. A decade ago, umpires were right 83% of the time. Now? It’s 97%. That’s a huge jump. And according to A-Rod, that’s a better game for everyone involved: players, fans, and yes, even those much-maligned umps.
From DH to Replay—A New Era for MLB
And credit where it’s due—Manfred has overseen some radical shake-ups. Universal DH? Check. Pitch clock? Check. A complete re-imagining of pace and presentation? Check, check, and check. The sport feels faster and a lot more watchable.
That’s going to rub some folks the wrong way, especially die-hard fans who’ve spent years dragging Manfred for everything from the Astros scandal handling to expanded playoffs and the ghost runner rule. There’s still plenty of skepticism about whether he’s the right steward for the long-term soul of baseball.
Commissioners in Cooperstown? It’s Not Unheard Of
Historically, yes, it’s possible. Five commissioners have been enshrined in Cooperstown, including Manfred’s predecessor, Bud Selig. So the precedent is there.
But what A-Rod did with that comment wasn’t just praise—that was a pitch to history. And you better believe it’s going to keep the baseball world buzzing long after the All-Star break ends.
