It might only be April, but the physical toll of a 162-game Major League Baseball season is already evident in the New York Yankees broadcast booth. On Wednesday night, Michael Kay, Paul O’Neill, and David Cone called the Yankees’ 4-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals during a Prime Video broadcast. During the sixth inning, on a cool Bronx night, Cone caught O’Neill’s attention when he jumped out of his seat in pain.
“Oh, man. I got a little hammy! Oh, man, right in the belly of my hamstring.” – David Cone battled through it for the Yankees in the broadcast booth Wednesday night pic.twitter.com/1pUJm04xud
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 17, 2025
“How’s that leg, Coney? You got a little cramp working there?” O’Neill joked, noting the initial appearance of a dance move before a grimace replaced it. “Yeah, I got a little hammy,” Cone groaned in confirmation. Less than 20 seconds later, they had a replay of Cone jumping in pain ready for viewers. “It’s just a clown show up here,” Cone remarked after seeing the replay of his reaction. “I’m sorry folks.”
But there’s no need for apology; we’ve all had our moments. Interestingly, Cone, who pitched nearly 3,000 innings in 450 MLB games, managed to evade a hamstring injury throughout his career, yet here he is at 62, dealing with one in the booth. The Yankees’ injury woes are evidently severe when they extend to their broadcasters—as Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil, and Giancarlo Stanton have already landed on the 60-day injured list this season, making it critical for the Yankees to avoid further losses. Fortunately, their broadcast booth has a seemingly endless supply of backups.
Nevertheless, Kay, O’Neill, and Cone remain the Yankees’ A-team. The dynamic in the booth shifts when they are present, and they proved that once again Wednesday night, even while pushing through their own physical challenges.
