US to have automatic berth in 2028 Olympic baseball and softball tournament

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The United States will have an automatic berth in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic baseball and softball tournaments and the top two other nations from the Americas in next month's World Baseball Classic will earn berths.

Major League Baseball hopes big leaguers will be able to participate in the six-nation tournament, to be played at Dodger Stadium from July 13-19 during what could be an extended All-Star break. An agreement with the Major League Baseball Players Association is needed.

The World Baseball Softball Confederation said Monday that the top two World Baseball Classic nations in the Americas not already qualified can earn Olympic berths. Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama. Puerto Rico and Venezuela are in the WBC field.

One team from Asia and one team from Europe/Oceania can qualify from this November's WBSC Premier 12 tournament.

A final qualifying tournament will be played no later than March 2028 that includes the top two non-yet-qualified teams from the latest Asia Championship, the top two non-yet-qualified teams from the latest European Championship, the highest-placed non-yet-qualified team from the latest Africa Championship and the highest-placed non-yet-qualified team from the latest Oceania Championship.

The six-team Olympic softball tournament will be played from July 23-29 at OKC Softball Park in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

One nation will qualify from the Women's Softball World Cup finals in April 2027, three from continental qualification events in 2027 and one from a final qualification event no later than March 28.

Softball rosters will have 15 players, who must by at least 16 by the 2028 calendar year.

Host Japan won gold in baseball and softball at the COVID-delayed 2020 Olympics. The sports were dropped for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB