Howie Rose, the charismatic Mets play-by-play announcer, will retire after this season.
MLB.com reports that although Rose had previously said he wanted to continue announcing until the Mets won another World Series, he has cut back on his schedule over the past few years since he was diagnosed in 2021 with bladder cancer.
The Queens native has been a part of Mets broadcasting in one way or another since 1987, calling Mets games on TV and radio since 1996. After taking over from Bob Murphy in 2004, he became the Mets’ lead voice ever since with his famous “put it in the books!” call when the Mets win a game.
In a video posted on the team’s X page, Rose said in part of his decision:
“Every season has been unique or significant in its own way,” he said in part. “This year, though, will be especially meaningful to me because 2026 will be my final season in the Mets broadcast booth. Now trust me I did not arrive at this decision to retire easily. I’ve been going back and forth in my mind over the last few years, but the simple reality is, I’m 72 years old and my wife Barbara sacrificed so much for so long deserves to have her husband around a little more often.”
In his video, Rose also mentioned that he will not call any road games this year until the postseason.
Although, he is set to retire, he stresses he and the Mets will not make “a clean break.”
“Hopefully, I’ll be involved now and then in some still-to-be-determined capacity, because for me, letting go of the Mets isn’t hard, it’s impossible!”
After all these years with his beloved team, Rose hopes that this year will be the year he serves as “master of ceremonies on the steps of City Hall after a trip down the Canyon of Heroes” when the Mets win a World Series.
“That would make this dream that I live complete.”