Ken Rosenthal let go from MLB Network due to criticism of MLB commissioner Rob Manfred

MLB Network has parted ways with reporter Ken Rosenthal due to his criticisms of commissioner Rob Manfred in 2020, per New York Post media reporter Andrew Marchand. Rosenthal remains employed at The Athletic and FOX Sports.

Marchand is reporting Rosenthal’s contract concluded at the end of this past year, so this would indicate rather than a firing this is MLB choosing not to negotiate a new contract. He reportedly was kept off the air due to articles he wrote at The Athletic in 2020 criticizing Manfred’s handling of the COVID-19 situation.

Major League Baseball owners elected to lock players out in early December. They describe it as a defensive move, but a lockout is an offensive move by employers, much like a strike is an offensive move by employees. One has to wonder how Manfred and his team felt knowing Rosenthal might not toe the MLB company line in reporting on the owner’s work stoppage.