Many announcers have fallen victim to the long-discussed “announcer jinx.” During Wednesday’s game between the Houston Astros and the Tampa Bay Rays, play-by-play voice Andy Freed put one on his team in record time.
In the top of the first inning, Freed discussed the layout of the Rays’ adopted home, George M. Steinbrenner Field. This is the spring training home of the New York Yankees, which the Rays are using while they wait for Tropicana Field to be repaired. Specifically, he mentioned how left field hasn’t been a popular spot for players to hit home runs in the park.
As he said this, Astros third baseman Isaac Parades drove a ball out to left field that went off the scoreboard to give the Astros a 2-0 lead.
“If you think about it, there haven’t been that many home runs to left in this ballpark this year,” said Freed as Parades made solid contact out to left field. “Will we see another? We sure do, two-run homer off the scoreboard for Isaac Parades. And two batters in, the Astros are up 2-0.”
All-time announcer’s jinx by Freed 😅 @RaysBaseball pic.twitter.com/uVMR1WNV1c
— Chandler Simpson Stan (Rays 22-26) (@tb_sports_fan) May 21, 2025
To be fair to Freed, the dimensions of George M. Steinbrenner Field do appear to negate home runs to left-center field compared to what he is used to seeing at Tropicana Field, as the left-center porch is 29 feet further away. Additionally, Parades has remarkably hit all 81 of his career home runs to left field. So perhaps Freed should have seen this coming, given who was at the plate.
Parades wasn’t done proving Freed’s theory wrong, either. He hit another home run out to left field in the top of the eighth inning, his third in the last two games.
ISAAC PAREDES ARE YOU KIDDING#BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/zak4avWgmF
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 21, 2025
Fortunately for Freed, his home run jinx didn’t come back to bite the Rays in this game, as they got their own offense going to the tune of an 8-4 victory.
The bats 8️⃣@budweiserusa | #RaysWin
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) May 21, 2025
