New York Mets veteran announcer Howie Rose announced Thursday that the 2026 MLB season will be his last behind the microphone.
“Believe me, my decision to retire was not easy,” Ross said in a message posted on social media. “I’ve been mulling it over in my mind over the last few years. But the simple reality is that I’m 72 years old, and my wife, Barbara, has sacrificed so much for so long that she deserves to be around her husband more — whether she likes it or not.”
Ross, who has called Mets games in various capacities since 1995, has had a reduced schedule over the past few seasons due to a 2021 diagnosis of bladder cancer-related health issues. He said he will call all 81 Mets home games this season, as well as three road games against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium.
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Ross said that if the Mets make the playoffs, he will decide each home and away game based on the team’s situation. He noted that he would love to serve as the on-field host for Opening Day each year and hopes to end his career in a similar role for the World Series parade at New York City’s City Hall.
Ross began his broadcasting career in 1975 and became known for his work behind the microphone for the NHL’s New York Rangers and New York Islanders. His overtime goal against Stéphane Matteau in 1994 against the New Jersey Devils is legendary to send the Rangers to the Stanley Cup Final.
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In baseball, Rose’s most recent memorable call was Pete Alonso’s home run in Game 3 of the 2024 National League Wild Card Series between the Mets and Milwaukee Brewers.
