Longtime New York Yankees announcer Michael Kay is known for both being the television voice of the Bronx Bombers and for hosting a radio show, but it sounds like he is ready to give up one of those gigs.
Kay has been hosting “The Michael Kay Show” on ESPN Radio since 2002. The show is simulcast on YES Network. Kay’s contract is set to expire at the end of September. Andrew Marchand of the New York Post reports that Kay is giving serious consideration to retiring from radio. The 61-year-old has informed ESPN officials that he is planning to step away.
Though Kay has had contract extension talks with ESPN, the belief is that he is actually leaning toward retirement and not trying to create more leverage in negotiations.
Kay is planning to continue with his full-time role as the TV voice of the Yankees on YES Network. Marchand reports that he is also hoping to continue hosting ESPN’s “Kay-Rod” broadcasts alongside Alex Rodriguez. The program debuted last year as an alternate broadcast for select ESPN “Sunday Night Baseball” games and a postseason series.
ESPN has not thought about a potential replacement and is still trying to convince Kay to continue with the radio show. Kay, who took a classy stance amid Aaron Judge’s home run race last season, is extremely popular among Yankees fans.
