Since leaving Fox for ESPN in 2022 as the lead play-by-play announcer for Monday Night Football, Joe Buck has paused his MLB broadcasts. Unfortunately for fans hoping to see him return to baseball, a recent discussion with Chris “Mad Dog” Russo suggests this is unlikely.
Last season, Buck made a brief return to the booth to call his first MLB game since the 2021 World Series. He joined Chip Caray for a game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers on Bally Sports Midwest in July. This single appearance led to another, as Buck will be calling ESPN’s Opening Day broadcast between the New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers, marking his first nationally televised game since 2021.
While Buck’s return to the national stage might appear to be more of a favor to ESPN’s Mark Gross than a revival of his baseball career, it was a topic on Mad Dog Unleashed where Russo asked, “Have you missed doing baseball play-by-play? Do you miss those big moments behind the microphone?” Buck acknowledged that he misses the big moments but emphasized the commitment required to reach those high-stakes situations.
“Yeah, for sure. You miss the big moments,” Buck admitted. “But you gotta work all year to get to those big moments. It’s not just about parachuting in for the ninth inning; you gotta put the hours in, and I don’t have the hours anymore.” Given Buck’s busy schedule at Fox, covering both the World Series and the NFL on Fox Game of the Week, it’s clear he doesn’t wish to return to that level of commitment.
Since his transition to ESPN, Buck has consistently expressed his lack of passion for regular MLB broadcasting. Unless there’s a change of heart, his upcoming ESPN broadcast is likely to be his last for a while, especially since ESPN opted out of their TV deal with Major League Baseball.
