Sports Entertainment

Joe Buck may not be done calling MLB games after all: ‘I’ll get the itch again’

After Joe Buck left Fox last year to join ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” booth on a five-year, $75 million contract, he seemed ready to leave his baseball broadcasting days behind him.

The longtime voice of the World Series may be having a change of heart.

Buck, 54, believes he will call MLB games again at some point, though if he does it would only be for a local broadcast and not national.

“I think I will (do baseball again),” Buck told Audacy’s “The PBP: Voices of Baseball” podcast.

“I’ve never said that before. But I just feel like I’m 53, basically 54, I think it’s too early to say nevers at this point in my life. I think at some point, I’ll get the itch again.”

In November, Buck told the “Sports Illustrated Media Podcast” that he was “ready to move on” from calling baseball games, saying he didn’t “have that itch.”

But it appears Buck has been thinking about getting back to the ballpark.

Joe Buck (l.) and Troy Aikman (r.) before ESPN's broadcast of the Buccaneers-Cowboys wild-card game on Jan. 16, 2023.
Joe Buck (l.) and Troy Aikman (r.) before ESPN’s broadcast of the Buccaneers-Cowboys wild-card game on Jan. 16, 2023. Getty Images

“It would be local,” Buck said. “Doing a handful of games in St. Louis, doing a handful of games if we move to Denver, doing a handful of games in Minnesota… It’s not going to be ‘Hey, welcome to the World Series! This is my 25th.’ I’m done with that. That’s enough.

“The national stuff is more prestigious and it’s bigger and it comes with more money and it comes with more pressure. But the local guy is there representing the fan.”

Buck’s dad, Jack, was the voice of the Cardinals for 47 years, as well as being on national broadcasts.

Joe Davis became Fox’s No. 1 play-by-play voice for MLB broadcasts when Buck went to ESPN.

Joe Buck at the Cardinals' Busch Stadium.
Joe Buck at the Cardinals’ Busch Stadium. Getty Images

Buck went to ESPN shortly after his longtime Fox NFL broadcast partner Troy Aikman was lured to ESPN with a five-year, $90 million contract.

Buck also called the U.S. Open golf tournament for Fox.