After 42 seasons, a legendary figure in baseball play-by-play, Bob Costas, has announced his retirement. Costas had been calling games for MLB Network and TBS Sports in recent years, with his final games being the American League Division Series between the New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals. While his contract with TBS came to an end at the close of the season, Costas had been contemplating his retirement from baseball play-by-play for over a year.
The news of Costas' retirement was first reported by The Athletic, with Costas expected to provide further details on his decision at a later date. Baseball has always held a special place in Costas' heart, having called games on NBC in two separate stints, from 1982-89 and then again from 1994-2000. He was notably part of the broadcast team for the 1995 World Series and later served as the main play-by-play voice for the Fall Classic in 1997 and 1999.
In 2021, Costas joined TBS as a studio host for its coverage of the National League Championship Series before transitioning to play-by-play duties over the past three seasons. TBS has been airing a package of Tuesday night regular-season games alongside its postseason coverage since 2022. Additionally, Costas has been a familiar face on MLB Network since its inception in 2009 and will continue to contribute to the network for key events, including the Baseball Hall of Fame announcement.
Costas' illustrious career was recognized in 2018 when he was honored with the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcast excellence by the Baseball Hall of Fame. Beyond baseball, Costas is renowned for his role as the prime-time host of NBC's Olympics coverage from 1992 to 2016 and has also provided commentary on sports issues on CNN.
Bob Costas' retirement marks the end of an era in baseball broadcasting, as fans and colleagues alike reflect on his contributions to the sport over the past four decades.
