Behind the Mic: Announcer Teams Set for ALDS Telecasts in Spanish on MLB Network, NBA CountdownTeam Returns on ESPN and ABC
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Behind the Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, including new deals, departures, and assignments compiled from press releases and reports around the industry. In this week’s edition, Announcer Teams Set for ALDS Telecasts in Spanish on MLB Network and NBA Countdown Team Returns on ESPN and ABC.
Announcer Teams Set for ALDS Telecasts in Spanish on MLB Network
MLB Network’s Spanish-language ALDS telecasts are presented by T-Mobile. MLB Network’s Spanish-language production of the American League Championship Series presented by loanDepot will be called by José Mota (play-by-play) and Carlos Peña (analyst). The entire schedule for the ALDS and ALCS, subject to change, can be viewed in its entirety at MLB.com/postseason. In addition to airing on MLB Network, the Spanish-language ALDS and ALCS game telecasts will be available anywhere in the U.S. via an authenticated live stream to customers of participating pay TV providers through MLBNetwork.com/Watch. TBS will be the exclusive home of the 2022 AL Division Series and AL Championship series in English.
Álvarez has announced for a wide variety of major sporting events for ESPN Deportes the last 20 years, including MLB games, the World Baseball Classic, and the Little League World Series. Mota, the son of Los Angeles Dodgers legend Manny Mota, just completed his first season calling games in English and Spanish for the Dodgers on AM 570 LA Sports, KTNQ 1020 AM and Spectrum SportsNet LA, following 20 years with the Los Angeles Angels’ broadcast team. Castillo has been calling MLB radio broadcasts in Spanish since 2006, including four seasons with the Washington Nationals from 2008 to 2011, followed by being a member of the Philadelphia Phillies Spanish-language radio team since 2012. Alonso, who spent 10 years in MLB from 2010 to 2019 and earned a trip to the All-Star Game in 2017, has been with MLB Network since April 2021. Peña, a 2009 American League All-Star, who was a member of the 2008 AL Champion Tampa Bay Rays, has been an MLB Network analyst since December 2014.
In addition to MLB Network’s Spanish-language production of the ALDS and ALCS, MLB Network will televise more than 200 hours of studio content this Postseason. MLB Central co-hosted by Robert Flores, Mark DeRosa and Lauren Shehadi and presented by Best Western will air through the World Series for the first time in show history. Analysis, highlights and interviews will be featured on High Heat co-hosted by Christopher Russo and Alanna Rizzo and presented by Camping World, MLB Now hosted by Brian Kenny and presented by Fisher Investments, and Intentional Talk co-hosted by Stephen Nelson and Kevin Millar and presented by Evan Williams Bourbon. MLB Network’s multiple Emmy Award-winning MLB Tonight presented by Evan Williams Bourbon will air live before and after every Postseason game, including on-site at the World Series for the 14th consecutive season. Reporters Scott Braun, Jon Morosi, Siera Santos and Matt Yallof will report on-site across MLB Network’s programming throughout the League Division Series.
Mike Greenberg, Stephen A. Smith, Michael Wilbon, Jalen Rose and Adrian Wojnarowski Return as NBA Countdown Team on ESPN and ABC All Season Long
ESPN today announced that its NBA Countdown pregame show team – Mike Greenberg, Stephen A. Smith, Michael Wilbon, Jalen Rose and Adrian Wojnarowski – will return for their second year together. The team will lead the Friday, Saturday and Sunday editions of NBA Countdown on ESPN and ABC throughout the season, including for the NBA Playoffs and NBA Finals.
As part of the team’s return, ESPN has reached multi-year extensions with former NBA and college basketball star Jalen Rose as well as Curt Gowdy Media Award-winning journalist Michael Wilbon. Rose is the longest-tenured member of the NBA Countdown team, having appeared on the show since 2012. For more information on Wilbon and Rose and their multi-platform roles, visit ESPN Press Room to access their bios.
Greenberg, Smith, Wilbon, Rose and Wojnarowski will also lead NBA Countdown on Wednesdays in October. As previously announced, starting in November, Malika Andrews will host the Wednesday editions of NBA Countdown from ESPN’s Los Angeles Production Center, with analysts and fellow NBA Today team members Richard Jefferson, Chiney Ogwumike and Kendrick Perkins. Wojnarowski will also appear on the Wednesday shows.
