Yankees rumors: John Sterling to come out of retirement to call MLB playoff games | News, scores, highlights, stats and rumours

Legendary New York Yankees broadcaster John Sterling is ending his retirement to call the team’s 2024 MLB playoff games, according to The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand.

Marchand reported that the 86-year-old will work the Yankees’ home and road games on WFAN alongside Suzyn Waldman. His retirement will resume once the postseason ends.

Sterling’s voice has become familiar to generations of fans. Before leaving the booth effective immediately in April, he had called 5,631 games over 36 seasons.

The franchise honored him on the field before a 2-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on April 20.

The timing of Sterling’s retirement meant that WFAN, the Yankees’ flagship radio partner, was unable to identify a permanent replacement. Marchand noted that Justin Shackil, Rickie Ricardo and Emmanuel Berbari all have play-by-play duties and will be considered along with other candidates when WFAN launches a full search.

From the outside, bringing Sterling back doesn’t seem like a strong vote of confidence in Shackil, Ricardo or Berbari, but this is also a special case given how synonymous he had become with the Bronx Bombers.

Sterling, who could work a few regular-season games to get ready for the playoffs, might not work that deep into October after all.

Thanks to a 22-20 record after the All-Star break, New York trails the Baltimore Orioles by a half game for first place in the American League East. A season that once showed much promise could come to a disappointing conclusion if the Yanks reach the Wild Card Series.