MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announces his tenure will end after current contract expires

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Major League Baseball will have a new commissioner in five years.

Rob Manfred told reporters in Florida Thursday his tenure as commissioner will end when his contract expires in 2029.

"I'm 65. I just started a five-year term. Do that math. That makes me 70 years old. You can only have so much fun in one lifetime," Manfred said.

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Major League Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr. speaks to the media during the Spring Training Cactus League Media Day at Arizona Biltmore Feb. 15, 2023, in Phoenix, Ariz. (Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

The commissioner said he has been open with owners in explaining he is on the back nine of his tenure.

Manfred took over for Bud Selig Jan. 25, 2015, after Selig had held the role since 1992.

Manfred's tenure has been tenuous to say the least. He probably received the biggest backlash when he opted not to punish any members of the 2017 Houston Astros after their sign-stealing scandal. He did so to get the truth on what happened.

But it is a move for which he has since shown regret. He received further criticism when he said he didn't understand why people were so upset about "a piece of metal," meaning the World Series trophy.

Manfred was also critical of the players during the lockout from December 2021 to March 2022, and he also has recently been in a war of words with Oakland officials regarding the Athletics' eventual move to Las Vegas.

However, his main goal when he took over was to speed up the game's slow pace of play, and he hit a grand slam with that mission. 

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred speaks during the Baseball Hall of Fame