NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred's term was extended until 2029 on Wednesday by major league owners.
The decision to give Manfred a third term in charge of the sport was made during a vote at an in-person meeting in Washington, D.C. The extension keeps Manfred in place until Jan. 25, 2029.
Manfred, 64, and was given a five-year term. Owners voted in November 2018 to offer Manfred .
Manfred has overseen a period of on-field change for the sport, including instituting a this season. have dropped by about a half-hour and offense by left-handed batters has increased.
He presided over the deal with players that led to , the that began that year and a that runs through the 2026 season.
The collective bargaining agreement also .
鈥淚t is an honor to serve the best game in the world and to continue the pursuit of strengthening our sport on and off the field,鈥� Manfred said in a statement. 鈥淭his season our players are displaying the most vibrant version of our game, and sports fans are responding in a manner that is great for Major League Baseball鈥檚 future. Together, all of us in the game will work toward presenting our sport at its finest and broadening its reach and impact for our loyal fans.鈥�
Manfred has been criticized by some for granting players immunity in the Houston Astros' cheating scandal 鈥� 鈥� and for allowing the . His , and he said after last year's lockout that he wanted to do better in that regard.
鈥淎t a critical moment in the history of our game, Commissioner Manfred has listened to our fans and worked closely with our players to improve America鈥檚 pastime," Seattle Mariners chairman John Stanton said in a statement. "Under his leadership, we have been responsive to the fans鈥� desire for more action and better pace, continued the game鈥檚 spirit of innovation, expanded MLB鈥檚 role in youth baseball and softball, and beyond. The significant momentum that MLB has built reflects his ongoing initiatives that are advancing the game.鈥�
A graduate of the Cornell School of Industrial and Labor Relations and Harvard Law School, Manfred became involved in baseball in 1987, when he was an associate at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius and the firm was retained as MLB labor counsel.
He became MLB鈥檚 executive vice president for labor relations and human resources in 1998, received an expanded role of EVP of economics and league affairs in 2012 and a year later was promoted to chief operating officer.
. A third candidate, MLB Executive Vice President of Business Tim Brosnan, withdrew just before balloting.
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