NBC is broadcasting Major League Baseball playoff games for the first time since 2000, using a new strategy for its Wild-Card series coverage. The network will combine a local analyst from each participating team with its own play-by-play voice for this week's four series, continuing its regular season approach.
This move addresses a long-standing complaint among MLB fans. Fans often express frustration over losing their local announcing booths in favor of national voices during postseason action. Team broadcasters also feel the impact.
Mets play-by-play announcer Gary Cohen described the situation to The Athletic in 2024, saying, "It's kind of like taking a transatlantic voyage on a ship, and then getting thrown overboard a mile from shore."
Sam Flood, NBC Sports executive producer, said before the season that the network wanted to honor this aspect of baseball. Flood said, "The biggest complaint you hear during the postseason in baseball is, I can't hear my people, I can't hear my guys call the game."
For the Red Sox-Yankees Wild-Card matchup, Jason Benetti will serve as the play-by-play voice. He will be joined by NESN's Lou Merloni, representing the Red Sox, and YES Network's Joe Girardi, representing the Yankees. Benetti also calls Detroit Tigers games during the regular season.
In another intra-division series, Phillies analyst John Kruk and Braves commentator C.J. Nitkowski will team up for coverage. For the White Sox-Astros series, longtime White Sox color commentator Steve Stone will pair with Houston's Geoff Blum.
Cubs color commentator Jim Deshaies postponed his hip surgery by two weeks to call his team's games against the San Diego Padres. Deshaies will work alongside Padres analyst Mark Grant for that series.
Benetti acknowledged the connection fans have with local broadcasters. On Monday, he said, "Fans know these people. You spend so much time with these people in your houses that there's a trust factor that develops." He also said local analysts offer insights a national voice might miss.
NBC began preparing for this strategy months ago, identifying nearly 20 broadcasters as potential analysts if their teams reached the opening round. While three-person announcer booths typically take time to gel, Benetti has embraced the unfamiliarity.
Benetti commented on the dynamic, saying, "The thing that's most exciting is you never know where the conversation is going to go."
The network is also maintaining its newly established Inside the Pitch analyst position for each series. Anthony Rizzo is assigned to observe the field and dugout for the Red Sox-Yankees series, with Caroline Pineda filling the reporter role.
NBC will carry the Braves-Phillies and Red Sox-Yankees games on broadcast television. These games are scheduled for 2 p.m. ET and 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Wednesday. The White Sox-Astros game, set for 5 p.m. ET, and the Cubs-Padres game, set for 10 p.m. ET, will air across Peacock and NBC Sports Network on both days. The schedule for Thursday's Game 3s depends on which teams remain in contention.
