Sportscaster Bob Costas, 72, has announced his retirement from Major League Baseball play-by-play commentary, concluding a distinguished career spanning more than four decades that earned him a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame’s broadcasting wing, The Athletic reports.
The veteran announcer’s final broadcast was the New York Yankees‘ Game 4 victory in the American League Division Series on TBS, where he subtly hinted at his departure during the closing moments. While Costas is stepping away from live game coverage, he will maintain his position at MLB Network, contributing analysis to various programs, particularly those focusing on historical events such as Hall of Fame announcements, per the outlet. Sources familiar with the situation indicated to The Athletic that Costas made this decision before the current season, coinciding with his contract’s conclusion.
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Costas has called three World Series throughout his career, alongside ten League Championship Series during his tenure at NBC. His connection with baseball broadcasting began 44 years ago at NBC, where he formed a memorable partnership with Tony Kubek in the 1980s, reports The Athletic.
During his time at TNT Sports, while Brian Anderson served as the network’s primary MLB commentator, Costas typically received the more prestigious assignments during divisional round series. This year, for example, he called the Yankees-Kansas City Royals series while Anderson covered the Cleveland Guardians–Detroit Tigers matchup.
Costas joined TNT Sports (formerly TBS) through his longstanding relationship with Jeff Zucker, who initially worked as Costas’s Olympic researcher in 1988 before rising to network leadership. Zucker recruited Costas to CNN in 2020 and subsequently brought him to TNT Sports for baseball coverage, where he replaced Don Orsillo.
The broadcaster’s association with MLB Network dates back to its 2009 launch, where he memorably interviewed Don Larsen and Yogi Berra following a historic replay of Larsen’s 1956 perfect game. Throughout his time at the network, Costas hosted various programs, including Studio 42 with Bob Costas, MLB’s Greatest Games, and Costas at the Movies. He had been the network’s lead play-by-play voice for Showcase telecasts since its inception.
In recognition of his exceptional contributions to baseball broadcasting, Costas received the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcast excellence from the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018. MLB play-by-play was his final major role in national sports coverage following his departure from NBC Sports, where he had been the network’s face for decades, in 2018.
