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Joe Buck Has Emotional Return to MLB Broadcasting Booth

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Sean Treppedi | Last updated Mar 28, 2025 5:06 PM ET

Joe Buck made his MLB broadcasting debut at age 21 calling the St. Louis Cardinals.

He called 24 World Series ever since and then stepped away to take a $15 million per year check from ESPN to do play-by-play for "Monday Night Football."

Buck hasn't worked a baseball game since the 2021 World Series.

On Opening Day at Yankee Stadium Thursday, Buck made his return. The crisp March air carried a hint of Bronx autumn, and his voice added to the sense of nostalgia and grandeur.

At just 55, Buck wrapped up the game with a straightforward call as Yankees closer Devin Williams navigated a tense moment against former NL MVP Christian Yelich.

“I felt totally comfortable,” Buck said to The Athletic's Andrew Marchand afterward. “I felt like I hadn’t left.”

After several decades, ESPN and MLB announced their divorce in February with frustrations brewing on both sides of the relationship.

ESPN executive Mark Gross had reached out to Buck with an invitation to call Opening Day at Yankee Stadium. Buck accepted without hesitation.

Marchand wrote that Buck brought Game 7 energy to the booth on Thursday.

He was given the freedom to choose his broadcast partners and selected longtime Brewers analyst Bill Schroeder and former Yankees manager Joe Girardi.

During the game, he jokingly referred to them as his "first-round picks"—as Marchand playfully hints at a future in a front office.

“I loved working with Joe and Bill,” Buck said. “I was stunned how easy they made it feel.”

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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