Joe Buck’s Big Return to Baseball

Joe Buck is making a comeback to baseball broadcasting, but only for a single game. He’ll be in the booth for ESPN's Opening Day broadcast of the New York Yankees vs. Milwaukee Brewers on March 27th. This news comes just days after a light-hearted suggestion from St. Louis Cardinals president Bill DeWitt III. The president of the Cardinals, Bill DeWitt III, recently joked that Buck should "come back to reality" and call games for his hometown team. Buck is no stranger to baseball, but he hasn’t been in the booth since 2021. He’s been busy with ESPN’s Monday Night Football. So, it’s a big deal that he’s returning to baseball. It’s not a full-time gig, though. This is just a one-time deal for now. Buck said he’ll treat it like he’s been doing it all along, even though he hasn’t. The Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers will be the focus of ESPN's Opening Day coverage in 2025. The Yankees will kick things off against the Milwaukee Brewers at 3 p. m. ET, followed by the Dodgers taking on the Detroit Tigers at 7 p. m. ET. Both games are exclusively on ESPN. This means Michael Kay, the Yankees’ long-time play-by-play announcer, won’t be part of the coverage. Buck will have that honor.

This isn’t Buck’s first baseball broadcast since leaving Fox. Last season, he called a Cardinals game with Chip Caray. This marked the first time in 55 years that a Buck and a Caray shared the mic. That's a big deal in baseball broadcasting history. Buck’s return to baseball might be a one-off. Major League Baseball can end its current ESPN deal after the 2025 season. So, this could be Buck’s only shot at calling a national game. Buck admitted he doesn’t follow baseball as closely as he used to. But when ESPN’s senior VP of production, Mark Gross, mentioned the game would be at Yankee Stadium, Buck was sold. He picked his broadcast partners, Joe Girardi for the Yankees and Bill Schroeder for the Brewers. This sets up a fresh, yet familiar, booth for baseball’s grand opening. Buck’s return to baseball is a big deal. It’s a chance for fans to see a familiar voice in a new setting. But it’s also a reminder that nothing in sports broadcasting is guaranteed. Buck’s return is exciting, but it might be short-lived. Buck’s return to baseball is a big deal. It’s a chance for fans to see a familiar voice in a new setting. But it’s also a reminder that nothing in sports broadcasting is guaranteed. Buck’s return is exciting, but it might be short-lived.

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