The New York Yankees are back in the postseason, having secured their spot in the playoffs earlier this month and home field advantage for the Wild Card round earlier this week.
The Yankees making the postseason puts them in familiar territory—it’s their ninth run to October in the past 10 seasons—but one franchise staple will be joining the team in the playoffs for the first time in more than two decades.
Broadcaster Michael Kay is set to call a Yankees game for the first time in 25 years. Kay, the voice of the Yankees on YES Network, has not called a postseason game for the team since making the jump from radio to television in 2002, as national broadcasts take over in the playoffs. But with Kay’s calendar open, ESPN asked if he would be interested in taking on the national radio call for the upcoming series, giving him the chance to stay in the booth—well, a slightly different booth—for a few more games as the Yankees begin their playoff run.
It’s going to be a busy stretch for Kay, as he will still be on YES Network for pregame and postgame duties, and hustling to get to the ESPN radio call in between. He’ll be joined on the call by Eduardo Pérez and Tim Kurkjian.
While Kay will undoubtedly be rooting for the Yankees, he’s a professional, and promised to call the games down the middle for the national radio audience.
“I think that’s your responsibility. That’s the way I look at it,” Kay told Christian Arnold at the New York Post. “I love baseball, and obviously, I have a 35-year connection doing the Yankee games on radio and TV. But I get criticized a lot from some Yankee fans because I they say I get too excited for big moments for the other team, but I get excited for big moments in baseball.”
If the Yankees advance through to the ALDS, Kay will no longer be on the radio call, but will still be busy with his pregame and postgame duties for YES Network.
While New York’s opponent is not yet locked in, the Yankees will be facing the Red Sox in the Wild Card barring a massive swing over the final three days of the season. Game 1 of the series is set for Tuesday in the Bronx.
About Tyler Lauletta
Tyler is a editorial contributor at Awful Announcing, with previous stops at Sports Illustrated and Business Insider during his career covering sports in digital media. He is, begrudgingly, a Truster of the Process and general Philly sports sicko.