List of Major League Baseball wild card round broadcasters
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The following is a list of the national television and radio networks and announcers that have broadcast the Major League Baseball wild card games throughout the years. It does not include any announcers who may have appeared on local radio broadcasts produced by the participating teams.
Television
2020s
Wild card series
Wild card game
| Year | Game | Network | Play-by-play | Color commentator(s) | Field reporter(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | AL | ESPN[7] | Matt Vasgersian | Jessica Mendoza and Alex Rodriguez | Buster Olney |
| ESPN2 (Statcast alternate broadcast)[8] | Jason Benetti | Eduardo Pérez and Mike Petriello | |||
| NL | TBS | Brian Anderson | Ron Darling | Lauren Shehadi |
2020 wild card series
| League | Series | Network | Play-by-play | Color commentator(s) | Field reporter(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AL | Tampa Bay Rays/Toronto Blue Jays | TBS (U.S.)[9] | Rich Waltz | Jimmy Rollins | |
| Sportsnet (Canada) | |||||
| Minnesota Twins/Houston Astros | ABC (Game 1) ESPN2 (Game 2)[10] |
Karl Ravech | Tim Kurkjian and Eduardo Pérez | ||
| New York Yankees/Cleveland Indians | ESPN[10] | Matt Vasgersian | Alex Rodriguez and Buster Olney | Marly Rivera | |
| Oakland Athletics/Chicago White Sox | Dave Flemming | Jessica Mendoza | |||
| NL | Los Angeles Dodgers/Milwaukee Brewers | Karl Ravech | Tim Kurkjian and Eduardo Pérez | ||
| Atlanta Braves/Cincinnati Reds | Matt Vasgersian | Alex Rodriguez and Buster Olney | Kiley McDaniel | ||
| Chicago Cubs/Miami Marlins | ABC[10] | Jon Sciambi | Chipper Jones | Jesse Rogers | |
| San Diego Padres/St. Louis Cardinals | ESPN2 (Game 1) ESPN (Games 2 and 3)[10] |
Tom Hart | Rick Sutcliffe Jessica Mendoza (Game 3) |
Pedro Gomez |
Notes
- ABC was scheduled to air at least four of the 24 possible daytime games in the 2020 season's one-time only expanded eight-series wild card round, that the networks of ESPN will air. Not only did this mean that ABC would be airing Major League Baseball games of any kind since Game 5 of the 1995 World Series,[11] but it would mark the first time since NBC's final game in 2000, that a Major League Baseball game had aired on any broadcast network other than Fox. The first game to definitely air on ABC on September 29, would be the #6 seed Houston Astros against the #3 Minnesota Twins from Target Field in Minneapolis.[12][13] The following day, ABC would air the #6 Miami Marlins against the #3 Chicago Cubs from Wrigley Field in Chicago. Karl Ravech provided play-by-play commentary for the Houston-Minnesota game with analysts Eduardo Pérez and Tim Kurkjian.[14] Meanwhile, Jon Sciambi, Chipper Jones, and Jesse Rogers called the Miami-Chicago Cubs game on September 30. ESPN also planned on utilizing ABC afternoon window[15] on Friday (October 2).[16] On October 2, ABC cut away from their broadcast Miami-Chicago Cubs game during the top of the 9th inning to deliver a special report on U.S. president Donald Trump being taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for COVID-19 treatment. The conclusion of the game was shifted to ESPN.[17]
- Beginning with the 2022 postseason, MLB allowed Sportsnet, the home network of the Toronto Blue Jays, to produce their own broadcasts of the team's games in Canada rather than a mere simulcast of the American network feed or an MLB International-produced broadcast.[6][4]
- Starting in 2026, and for the first time since 2013, ESPN carried no postseason games under a restructured three-year contract they signed with Major League Baseball.[18] The Wild Card Series moved to NBC Sports under a three-year deal.[19]
2010s
Radio
2020s
Wild card series
Wild card game
| Year | Game | Network | Play-by-play | Color commentator(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | AL | ESPN | Dave O'Brien | Xavier Scruggs |
| NL | Jon Sciambi | Kyle Peterson |