“Back, back, back” will no longer be a huge part of the Home Run Derby. That phrase, for lack a better term, is gone.
Why isn’t Chris Berman calling the Home Run Derby?
Karl Ravech is Chris Berman’s replacement as voice of ESPN’s Home Run Derby broadcast
Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images
ESPN will televise the Home Run Derby for the 25th year in a row on Monday night at Marlins Park in Miami and will do so without Chris Berman, who has a been part of every Home Run Derby since 1993. The network announced in January that Berman would reduce his overall duties this year after being at ESPN since its inception in 1979.
Karl Ravech, who has been with ESPN since 1993 and regularly hosts ‘Baseball Tonight’ among various other roles with the network, will assume hosting duties for the Home Run Derby this year and will be joined by analysts Jessica Mendoza and Mark Teixeira, plus reporter Buster Olney. The broadcast begins at 8 p.m. ET.
Photo by Maxx Wolfson/Getty Images
Defending champion Giancarlo Stanton of the Miami Marlins highlights the eight-player Home Run Derby field, along with record-setting rookie sluggers Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees and Cody Bellinger of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
ESPN signed Ravech to a multi-year extension in June.
“Chris Berman set the bar so high for the Home Run Derby, my goal will be to keep it there and let the amazing athletes take it to new heights,” Ravech said in a statement.
The television coverage isn’t just limited to ESPN. The broadcast will also be streamed online through WatchESPN.
ESPN2 will also televise the Spanish language broadcast of Home Run Derby, with Ernesto Jerez calling the action along with Eduardo Perez, Pedro Gomez, Marly Rivera, and Ismael Valdez on the broadcast as well.
See More:
