The New York Yankees appear to have found their permanent replacement for beloved radio announcer John Sterling.
As reported by the New York Post, Seattle Mariners TV announcer Dave Sims is nearing a deal to become WFAN’s new play-by-play caller for the Yankees. The deal has not been finalized and WFAN has not responded to the Post’s request for comment.
Sterling’s departure was expected. The 86-year-old retired during the 2024 season – his 36th with the team – only to make a brief return to the booth during the Yankees’ playoff run.
But while Sims’ arrival in the Bronx isn’t yet official, Yankees fans struggled to contain their excitement for a wildly popular announcer known for making exciting calls during dramatic moments.
‘Wait, really?’ one fan asked on X. ‘Because that’s awesome!!’
‘Great choice,’ another added.
Niko Tamurian, the sports director at Komo News in Seattle, told Yankees fans: ‘You guys will LOVE Dave.’
A former journeyman announcer and Division III catcher, Sims has covered everything from college and professional football to track and field before becoming Seattle’s main announcer in 2007.
Since then, he’s called multiple perfect games (Phil Humber and Felix Hernandez) and has a number of popular catch phrases, including his well-known home run call: ‘Bye-bye!’
Sterling made the unexpected decision to retire a few weeks into his 36th season as the Yankees’ radio play-by-play voice. He had cut back his schedule in recent years and was not with the team for several early season road trips.
He called 5,420 regular-season games, the last against the Blue Jays on April 7, plus 211 postseason games. Sterling broadcast 5,060 consecutive games from September 1989 through July 2019 after starting with the Yankees as a pregame host.
‘I have been able to do what I wanted, broadcasting for 64 years,’ Sterling said in a statement. ‘As a little boy growing up in New York as a Yankees fan, I was able to broadcast the Yankees for 36 years. It’s all to my benefit, and I leave very, very happy.’
As the team evolved into its latest dynasty, winning four World Series titles from 1996 through 2000, a Sterling moniker for a player’s home run became as treasured a part of a Yankees identity as an initial set of pinstripes and a culminating championship ring.
From ‘Bernie goes boom! Bern, baby, Bern!’ for Bernie Williams, to ‘It’s a Jeter jolt!’ for Derek to ‘It’s an A-bomb from A-Rod!’ for Alex Rodriguez, ‘The Giambino!’ for Jason Giambi and ‘A thrilla from Godzilla!’ for Hideki Matsui, Sterling created a personal stamp that resonated through the clubhouse all the way to the bleachers.
For the latest group of Yankees, ‘It’s a Judge-ian blast!’ became a familiar cry for Aaron, joined by ‘Nobody beats the Rizz!’ for Anthony Rizzo and ‘David John makes long gone!’ for DJ LeMahieu.
He could be obscure in recent years, using ‘Giancarlo, non si può de stoparlo! (Italian for ‘You can’t stop it!) for Stanton and ‘A spettacolo oggi!’ for Anthony Volpe (Italian for ‘At the show today!). He added ‘He’s Juan-der-ful, marvelous’ for Juan Soto this year, singing to the melody of George Gershwin’s ‘S Wonderful.’
But through it all, fans pined to hear him follow final outs with ‘Thuuuuuuuh Yankees win!’ with an elongated ‘the.’
