Robert Dean Manfred Jr. is an American lawyer and business executive who is serving as the tenth commissioner of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously served as MLB's chief operating officer. Manfred succeeded Bud Selig as commissioner on January 25, 2015. Manfred's tenure has seen a number of rule changes to the sport, including the introduction of the pitch clock and ghost runner rule. He has also overseen the expansion of the World Baseball Classic, MLB's reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Houston Astros sign stealing scandal.