A LEGENDARY RETURN TO THE BOOTH
LOS ANGELES, CA—In an announcement that has sent a surge of nostalgia through the baseball world, the “recognizable voice” set to welcome fans back for the 2026 season has been revealed. As of December 20, 2025, it is official: Joe Buck is returning to the baseball broadcast booth to call the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Opening Day matchup against the New York Mets.
This isn’t just another assignment; it is a homecoming. After leaving the MLB on FOX booth in 2021 to lead ESPN’s Monday Night Football, Buck has largely been away from the diamond. However, following the recent announcement that he will receive the 2026 Ford C. Frick Award—becoming the first father-son duo (with the late Jack Buck) to be inducted into the Hall of Fame for broadcasting—ESPN has tapped him to lead their premier Opening Day coverage on April 15, 2026.
WHY THIS VOICE MATTERS
For a generation of fans, Joe Buck’s voice is the sound of October. Having called 23 World Series and 21 All-Star Games, his return for the Dodgers’ quest for a three-peat is being described as “tradition returning right on time.”
- The Nostalgia Factor: Buck’s return marks the first time since 2021 that he will call a nationally televised baseball game on a consistent basis.
- The Hall of Fame Honor: The timing is poetic. Buck will call the opener just months before he is officially enshrined in Cooperstown. At 56, he is the second-youngest recipient of the Frick Award, trailing only the legendary Vin Scully.
- The Matchup: The Dodgers vs. Mets game is not only a marquee battle between the back-to-back champions and a revamped New York squad, but it also falls on Jackie Robinson Day, adding a layer of historical weight to the broadcast.
BY THE NUMBERS: THE BUCK LEGACY
| Milestone | Joe Buck’s Baseball Resume |
| World Series Called | 23 (Most in Network TV History) |
| All-Star Games | 21 |
| Frick Award Year | 2026 (Hall of Fame) |
| Age at Debut | 27 (1996 World Series) |
| Opening Day 2026 | Dodgers vs. Mets (ESPN Exclusive) |
“WELCOME TO THE SEASON”
The “buzz” around the announcement stems from the connection fans feel to Buck’s distinctively smooth delivery. In an interview with SI Media, Buck admitted that calling the Dodgers—a team whose lineup he joked is “half Hall of Famers”—makes the transition back to baseball much easier.
“I think of myself as a baseball announcer probably first because that’s what I was around the most,” Buck noted. “I still dream as a baseball announcer at night. It’s an honor to be back for a game that means this much.”
When the first pitch is thrown at Dodger Stadium this April, it won’t just be about the 100-mph fastballs or Shohei Ohtani’s swing. It will be about a voice that cuts through the noise and signals to millions that the long winter is finally over.
