The 2024 World Series is here. It promises to be a spectacle, with a galaxy full of supernovas set to lock horns in the hopes of getting their hands on that all-important Commissioner’s Trophy once the dust is settled.
The Dodgers and Yankees are by far the most important participants in the World Series festivities. But Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Mookie Betts, Juan Soto, Freddie Freeman and Giancarlo Stanton aren’t the only figures facing scrutiny during this year’s Fall Classic.
So too are the folks who are presenting the action on television. The eyes of the baseball world will be fixed on Fox as it offers a platform to America’s Pastime.
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With that, here’s a look at those tasked with leading Fox’s broadcast across the coming few weeks.
Who makes up Fox’s broadcast lineup for the 2024 World Series?
Joe Davis, play-by-play
Davis leads Fox’s World Series coverage for the third year in a row. The longtime play-by-play man โ and former Division III quarterback โ has worked his way up the ladder over the course of his meteoric career, transitioning from unpaid intern with the Schaumburg Flyers to the Montgomery Biscuits and then, eventually, to the Dodgers. He’s been the Dodgers’ play-by-play announcer since 2016, but has added national work to his portfolio during that time.
John Smoltz, color commentary
Smoltz was one of baseball’s most dominant pitchers in the 1990s, capturing eight All-Star appearances, an NL Cy Young Award and a World Series ring during his 21-year career. A part of Atlanta’s legendary “Big Three” alongside fellow Cy Young recipients Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, Smoltz starred on the hill as both a starter and a reliever. Smoltz is one of 14 pitchers to record 100 wins and 100 saves across his career. He has the most wins of any of those 14 pitchers, coming in at 213 victories. He was enshrined into the Hall of Fame as soon as he became eligible in 2015.
Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci, dugout reporters
Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci are veteran reporters, having wielded their pens for some of the biggest sports publications in the country, including The Athletic (Rosenthal) and Sports Illustrated (Verducci). The duo combine for more than 80 years of experience and have cemented themselves as trusted custodians of the sport and all of its inner workings.
Tom Rinaldi, feature reporter
Tom Rinaldi will fill in as the network’s feature reporter, a role in which he also served during Fox’s Super Bowl and World Cup coverage. As is the case with Rosenthal and Verducci, Rinaldi has gobs of experience for local and national networks. He’ll be tasked with looking beyond the playing field for storylines related to the Dodgers’ and Yankees’ stars.
Kevin Burkhardt, studio host
Kevin Burkhardt mans the desk for Fox’s World Series studio show. He comes into the Fall Classic bolstered by years of experience covering sports at the highest level. In addition to lending his vocal chops on the baseball diamond โ where he made his bones โ Burkhardt is also a decorated football commentator. In 2024, he became the first person not named Jim Nantz, Joe Buck or Al Michaels to call the Super Bowl since 2004.
Derek Jeter, analyst
You’ve probably heard of “The Captain” before. Jeter is one of the most iconic players in baseball history, donning the Yankees pinstripes for 20 years. He’s a member of the 3,000 hit club and is widely considered one of the greatest clutch performers in league history, adopting the name “Mr. November” for his World Series exploits. Jeter has five Commissioner’s Trophies in his closet. He, too, was a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Alex Rodriguez, analyst
Joining Jeter in the studio is the man who used to marshal third base alongside of him, Alex Rodriguez. Much like Jeter, Rodriguez is baseball royalty. He tallied 696 home runs over the course of his career, the fourth-highest figure in big league history.
A spot in Cooperstown looks unlikely at the moment for Rodriguez, who was suspended a season for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. But with three MVPs, 14 All-Star appearances, 10 Silver Sluggers and a championship ring in his collection, his place in baseball history is secured.
David Ortiz, analyst
Rounding out Fox’s glimmering studio crew is former Red Sox standout David Ortiz. The lumbering slugger was one of the most feared left-handed hitters in the league during his time, blasting 541 homers across 20 years. A three-time World Series champion, Ortiz proved himself to be one of the most fearsome batters in big-league history in postseason play. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022, his first year of eligibility.
