WFAN's Brandon Tierney gets a dream chance to call Yankees games alongside Justin Shackil while Suzyn Waldman recovers from illness. Credit: WFAN
MLBRadioBy Sam Neumann on

The WFAN host-to-New York Yankees radio booth pipeline is full steam ahead.

After letting Craig Carton call a few games as the play-by-play voice, the Bronx Bombers and WFAN are opting for another nontraditional route to their radio booth for Wednesday and Thursday.

Brandon Tierney, who co-hosts The Brandon Tierney and Sal Licata show with Sal Licata, took to X early Wednesday to announce that he was getting the opportunity to be a fill-in analyst.

He called into his show to confirm the news and relay that the legendary Suzyn Waldman was feeling unwell.

“The Yankees presented me with this amazing, humbling opportunity, and I know that Suzyn’s a bit under the weather,” he said. “I guess if I said it on the radio enough and wondered why they were giving everybody a chance, but me, I guess they finally listened. I’m getting to do the Yankee game tonight with Justin Shackil and tomorrow, as well.”

Tierney shared some updates from the booth prior to Wednesday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians:

This isn’t the first time that WFAN has dipped into its pool of hosts to fill in for Waldman. Earlier this season, WFAN radio host Keith McPherson filled in for Waldman while she was on vacation in mid-May, and that was also alongside Shackil.

As the Yankees search for their permanent radio voice to replace the retired John Sterling, there’s undoubtedly a feeling of musical chairs in the radio booth. Tierney will be the next one to try his hand, but not play-by-play. You apparently have to be at WFAN a lot longer for that to happen, and based on how Carton’s three-game audition was received, he’s probably best leaving that to the professionals.

In any event, it’s a cool opportunity for the outspoken Yankees fan, who is unafraid to display some of his brash persona, which includes a recent on-air verbal sparring match with general manager Brian Cashman.

Let’s hope he doesn’t have any phrasing gaffes in the booth.

[Brandon Tierney]

About Sam Neumann

Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.

View all posts by Sam Neumann