During Saturday's Reds vs. Giants game, Jason Benetti shared a story about how former ballplayer Champ Summers got his nickname. Photo Credit: Sam Greene/The Enquirer/USA TODAY NETWORK Sports commentator Jason Benetti host the discussion during a Xavier University basketball preseason preview event at the Cintas Center in Cincinnati on Monday, Oct. 2, 2023. Photo Credit: Sam Greene/The Enquirer/USA TODAY NETWORK
Local NetworksMLBBy Arthur Weinstein on

Jason Benetti is acknowledged as one of the best play-by-play announcers in sports. But Detroit Tigers’ players challenged him Monday night.

Pitcher Tyler Holton went around the clubhouse and asked his teammates to give him a word for Benetti to slip into Monday night’s Bally Sports Detroit broadcast.

Some of the words suggested were ridiculous, including funkytown, yellowtail, Fortnite, pineapples and perpendicular.

Benetti somehow managed to squeeze them all in during the game against the Cleveland Guardians, making some of the references sound eerily smooth.

The Tigers acknowledged Benetti’s brilliance with a post on X including a video of his word magic: “There’s good broadcasters, there’s great broadcasters and then there’s @jasonbenetti.”


Benetti acknowledged the team’s word choices challenged him.


Benetti is in his first year with Bally Sports Detroit, after surprisingly parting ways with the Chicago White Sox last year. The 40-year-old broadcaster, who still handles national announcer duties for MLB on Fox as well as other sports assignments, showed once again Monday he’s willing to fit right in with his new team.

Tigers fans are happy to have him aboard and most fans agree he’s one of the best in the business.


[Detroit Tigers]

About Arthur Weinstein

Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.

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