By most accounts, this year’s London series was a rousing success for MLB, featuring the Phillies and New York Mets. Bryce Harper was electric, energized Phillies fans filled a packed London Stadium, and the Phillies Phanatic stole the show.
But Phillies fans watching from home had issues with Saturday’s broadcast on Fox.
With no Phillies Pregame Live to tune into on NBC Sports Philadelphia, fans turning on Fox Saturday morning ahead of the game were greeted with the network’s studio team, which features Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz, and host Kevin Burkhardt. That wouldn’t be an issue on its own, but instead of covering the sights and sounds of baseball fans in London, they hosted their pregame coverage 3,500 miles away at Yankee Stadium.
Fox decided to send its top talent to an empty Yankee Stadium rather than London because the network also aired Saturday night’s matchup between the Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. Regardless, it still seems like a head-scratching decision not to provide more live coverage of the sights and sounds from London ahead of the game, leading to a backlash on social media from both Phillies and Mets fans, who have no love for their crosstown rivals.
Even for a studio crew known for keeping things light, analysis of the Phillies-Mets game was lackluster. In one example, Ortiz’s big suggestion on how to fix the Mets — in fourth place in the NL East despite having the largest payroll in baseball — was to move the team to Oklahoma, because there’s too much pressure on the team in New York. Rodriguez’s idea was for the Mets to sign Yankees outfielder Juan Soto, who is free agent at the end of the season.
“Mets and Phillies fans are predisposed to being cranky, but they seem to have a legitimate gripe with this coverage,” Awful Announcing’s Sam Neumann wrote.
Despite the Yankees focus, the pregame show did cut back to Tom Verducci in London to offer interviews with players ahead of the game, so some British color did make it into the pregame show. There was one genuinely funny moment. During their tour of Monument Park, Ortiz asked Rodriguez — whose 12 seasons with the Yankees were tainted by the use of performance enhancing drugs — when his name might be added alongside Babe Ruth and others.
“Papi, you have a better chance of getting your number retired than I do,” Rodriguez responded.
Once the game started, Fox’s coverage of Saturday’s Phillies-Mets game was solid, with Adam Amin, A.J. Pierzynski, and former St. Louis Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright on the call. Amin was particularly on point with his call of Nick Castellanos’ home run in the eighth-inning, where he mimicked a long-standing trend of Castellanos interrupting serious moments in the booth.
It’s happened at least four times, including in 2022, when a Castellanos’ home run interrupted a Memorial Day remembrance on NBC Sports Philadelphia by Tom McCarthy. His most famous interruption came in 2020, while playing for the Cincinnati Reds. Former Fox Sports play-by-play announcer Thom Brennaman was attempting to apologize for using an antigay slur earlier in the game when Castellanos knocked out a solo home run.
“I can’t tell you how much I say from the bottom of my heart I’m so very, very sorry. I pride myself and think of myself as a man of faith … As there’s a drive into deep left field by Castellanos. It will be a home run,” Brennaman said. “And that will make it a 4-0 game.”
Fox also welcomed the Phillie Phanatic into the booth, which pleases everyone not named John Kruk.
British announcer steals the show
ESPN did a much better job than Fox making their broadcast less New York-centric. Announcers Michael Kay, former Phillie Doug Glanville, and Tim Kurkjian did a solid job calling a thrilling game, though British announcer Darren Fletcher stole the show.
Fletcher, known for his soccer (ahem, or football) broadcasts, was calling the game on TNT Sports in the U.K. when an unlikely double play involving Castellanos and Garett Stubbs ended the game and the Phillies comeback hopes.
“What an end!” Fletcher shouted. “The shattered bat, the runner out at home plate, and the ball fired into the glove of first baseman Pete Alonzo! And the Mets somehow withstand the Phillies’ rally!”
“What drama! What a game! What a finish,” Fletcher added.
By comparison, here’s the call on ESPN by Yankees announcer Michael Kay.
