The new “Sunday Night Baseball” has its voice.
NBC Sports announced Wednesday that Jason Benetti will be the play-by-play announcer for the network’s new “Sunday Night Baseball” package on NBC and Peacock, something that had been widely expected for some time now.
His first game on-air for NBC this season will be on March 26, when the Dodgers host the Diamondbacks in an Opening Day battle.
Benetti will remain as the TV voice of the Tigers’ local broadcasts, and while on the air for “Sunday Night Baseball,” he will be paired with analysts who have connections to the teams playing in that day’s game.
“I am thrilled to be rejoining the NBC Sports family,” Benetti said in a statement. “Rick Cordella, Sam Flood and the whole team at NBC all have a deep appreciation for live sports. It’s a true honor to be part of the dawn of Sunday Night Baseball at NBC Sports. Each week is going to be a new, unique experience with analysts who all have different viewpoints on the game of baseball.”
This will be Benetti’s second go-around at NBC, having done play-by-play duty on NBC’s “MLB Sunday Leadoff” in 2022 on Peacock.
He also called baseball games during the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
“After Jason finished the 2022 baseball season with us, we told him that if we ever got MLB back, he’d be our first call,” NBC Sports Executive Producer Sam Flood said in a statement. “Jason is one of the best play-by-play announcers in the business and we’re thrilled to have him back on a full-time basis with NBC Sports, beginning with Sunday Night Baseball.”
Front Office Sports reported Wednesday that Benetti had been released from his contract with Fox early in order to take the NBC gig.
NBC Sports has put together an all-star lineup, adding former MLB stars Joey Votto, Clayton Kershaw and Anthony Rizzo for its studio show.
Bob Costas will also contribute in an emeritus role as he winds down his broadcasting career.
Costas told the Philadelphia Inquirer that he would be hosting the pregame show for about two-thirds of NBC’s coverage leading up to a “Sunday Night Baseball” game.
