MLB World Reacts to Ken Rosenthal News

On Monday, it was announced that long-time MLB Network reporter and journalist Ken Rosenthal would not be retained for the 2022 season. He was dismissed from the network due to his prior criticism of baseball commissioner Rob Manfred.

Rosenthal confirmed the new development in a series of tweets.

Can confirm MLB Network has decided not to bring me back. I’m grateful for the more than 12 years I spent there, and my enduring friendships with on-air personalities, producers and staff. I always strove to maintain my journalistic integrity, and my work reflects that. 1/2
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 4, 2022

Nothing else is changing for me professionally. I am proud to remain part of the great teams at The Athletic and Fox Sports. 2/2
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 4, 2022

According to a story from the Post, Manfred did not like the way Rosenthal covered him in the lead-up to 2020's pandemic-shortened season. In retaliation, the reporter was kept off the air for a period of approximately three months in 2020.

“MLB Network has cut ties with insider Ken Rosenthal that is believed to be the end result of acrimony that peaked in the summer of 2020 after Rosenthal criticized commissioner Rob Manfred.”

Following this announcement, the wild world of baseball on Twitter erupted in fury.

Rob Manfred is the worst sports commissioner on the planet.

You can’t fire me from Twitter for this criticism. Ken Rosenthal will forever be better than Manfred.
— Austin (@Austin_Konenski) January 3, 2022

@Ken_Rosenthal stands at 5’4 1/2” but still towers over Rob Manfred. Fire one of the premier reporters in baseball because he critiques you? That’s his job. #soft #rentfree #doinglaps
— Tyler “Nutsack” Matzek (@TylerMatzek) January 4, 2022

The firing of Ken Rosenthal by MLBN is really sad. Now the fans have a damn good idea who it is that pulls every string from swapping out baseballs to protecting offenders in the biggest scandal the sport has known down to silencing critics. Just a sad sad look. #LeagueOwned
— Dallas Braden (@DALLASBRADEN209) January 4, 2022

Firing Ken Rosenthal for speaking truth/his opinion is, in my opinion, yet another example of the almost dictatorship-like culture Rob Manfred is running in MLB.

It’s fucking disgusting. Not many people in MLB (players, media, fans, etc.) like Manfred, and it’s no secret why…
— Dan Clark (@DanClarkSports) January 4, 2022

MLB fans: Fire Rob Manfred
MLB: Fires Ken Rosenthal??
— Tati (@TatianaAudley) January 4, 2022

The Shitstain that is Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred must be removed immediately.

1) This, about @Ken_Rosenthal, if even only partially correct, is indefensible. It also reduces @mlbnetwork into the lowest kind of propaganda https://t.co/nfiygE6EH1
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) January 4, 2022

if you criticize the clown 🤡 known as Rob Manfred, you’ll get fired by MLB Network like Ken Rosenthal #FireManfred pic.twitter.com/dnF6rczxNm
— 𝐅𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐊𝐈𝐄 (@FrankiesTwoLoud) January 3, 2022

RT if you hate Rob Manfred#MLB #RobManfred #Manfraud pic.twitter.com/xquClGoT5L
— All Dodgers (@AllDodgersLA) January 4, 2022

Fortunately for MLB they can just bury this under all the other baseball news.
— Ben Badler (@BenBadler) January 4, 2022

Ken still works for Fox Sports on MLB coverage and at The Athletic.

This is just more evidence that Rob Manfred is a terrible commissioner. He botched the handling of the Houston Astros cheating scandal; He referred to the World Series trophy —also known as the Commissioners' Trophy – as a "piece of metal"; and was responsible for the game's first work stoppage in decades.

Do better, Robbie.

MLB Lockout Update: Why Players are MAD at MLB Owners/Rob Manfred, Could Dodgers Season Be Delayed?