USA TODAY Sports Weekly

Cavnar to make history as play-by-play voice of A’s

- Jack McKessy

NBC Sports California announced last week it is hiring Jenny Cavnar as the new primary play-by-play announcer for the Oakland Athletics TV broadcasts.

Cavnar will become the first woman to hold that position in MLB history when the 2024 season begins. She replaces Glen Kuiper, who served as the television play-by-play voice for the A’s from 2006 to 2023.

According to NBC, “she will call a majority of A’s games” in her new role.

For the past 12 years, Cavnar served as the Colorado Rockies’ pregame and postgame show host for the now-defunct AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain. She also served as the network’s backup play-by-play voice, and in April 2018 she became the first woman since 1993 to call play-by-play for an MLB game.

“It is a dream come true to join the broadcast team for the Oakland A’s and their rich baseball history,” she said in a statement via NBC Sports. “Growing up the daughter of a baseball coach, I have loved the game from a young age, along with the stories, history and relationsh­ips the game provides. I’m excited to start my 18th season as a major league broadcaste­r with my good friend, Dallas Braden, and share our experience­s with the loyal fans of the Athletics.”

Cavnar also has worked as a pregame and postgame host for the San Diego Padres. Braden, a former Oakland A’s pitcher and current color commentato­r for NBC Sports California, posted a video to social media site X (formerly known as Twitter) sharing his excitement about his new booth partner.

“[Her] depth and wealth of knowledge when it comes to the baseball diamond is going to be apparent from the first pitch,” he said. “You’re going to love her insight. You’re going to love her energy.”

 ?? COLORADO ROCKIES ?? Jenny Cavnar is shown handling the play-by-play duties at a Rockies game in 2018, becoming the first woman to do so for an MLB regular-season game in 22 years.
COLORADO ROCKIES Jenny Cavnar is shown handling the play-by-play duties at a Rockies game in 2018, becoming the first woman to do so for an MLB regular-season game in 22 years.

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