Former Brewer wants to be Team USA's manager in the 2028 Olympics

With the Winter Olympics in full swing and the World Baseball Classic (WBC) fast approaching, international sports are on the mind. In just two short weeks, baseball players from around the world will face off in the tournament-style competition that saw Team Japan defeat Team USA in the championship during its last iteration. Several Milwaukee Brewers will participate in this year's WBC, and even more players and coaches have ties to Milwaukee. A list of every Brewers connection in the 2026 WBC can be found at the link provided below.

Every Milwaukee Brewers connection in the 2026 World Baseball Classic

However, while baseball has its own international competition, the Olympics have a turbulent relationship with the sport. Baseball was made an official Olympic sport in 1992 and was a part of every Summer Olympiad through the 2008 games in Beijing, China. However, in 2012 and 2016, baseball was not included in the Olympic games. It returned for the 2020 (held in 2021) Olympics in Tokyo, but was not a part of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

Thankfully, for baseball fans around the world, baseball is once again making a return to the Summer Olympics in 2028, when the games will be held in Los Angeles. It still has yet to be decided whether MLB players will be allowed to compete in 2028 -- players who were on MLB 40-man rosters weren't allowed to compete in the 2021 games. However, that uncertainty isn't stopping one former Brewer, who now serves as a manager in MLB, from wanting to coach the squad and add another medal to his trophy case.

Just hours ago, Mark Kotsay -- former Brewers outfielder turned MLB manager for the Athletics -- told AJ Pierzynski of Foul Territory that he's interested in coaching the 2028 USA Olympic team.

Former Brewer Mark Kotsay wants to coach Team USA in the 2028 Olympics

The logistics of the 2028 games still have to be worked out. Conversations are ongoing in regard to whether or not MLB will take a break to allow MLB players and coaches to participate in the Olympics. However, in a recent article from FOX Sports, it was reported that MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred believes there's "a lot of momentum" in regard to MLB players participating in the 2028 games.

The only way that players and coaches would be able to take part in the 2028 Olympics is if MLB took a break in the middle of the season, seeing as the Los Angeles Olympics are set for July 14-30 in 2028. Presumably, the league could take an extended All-Star break and push the end of the season back a few weeks to allow players to participate in the games.

Kotsay, who had a brief, but memorable tenure in Milwaukee, wants to be a part of it, but he acknowledges in the video above that Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts might be Team USA's leading candidate if MLB managers are allowed to take part. Kotsay, a former Brewers outfielder, won a bronze medal with Team USA at the 1996 Olympics, which took place in Atlanta, Georgia.

Who knows whether or not MLB will make adjustments to their schedule to allow players to take part in the Olympics in 2028, but if they do, it's possible a few Brewers could add a gold medal to their collections, and maybe a former Brewer will be leading them to victory.