Rays Broadcast Team Ranked 12th In Annual Survey
The Tampa Bay Rays television booth featuring Dewayne Staats, Brian Anderson, Doug Waechter, Tricia Whitaker, and Ryan Bass form a strong position in the upper tier of the 2026 Awful Announcing local broadcast rankings. The yearly survey, which drew more than nine thousand fan votes nationwide, evaluates each Major League Baseball booth on play‑by‑play execution, analytical depth, and overall production quality. The league‑wide average score dipped slightly this season to two point two five, reflecting tighter competition and shifting viewer expectations.
Tampa Bay Rays Broadcast Team Secures Upper Tier Position
The Rays booth continues to deliver one of the most polished and technically sound broadcasts in baseball. Dewayne Staats remains one of the sport’s most respected play‑by‑play voices, blending classic cadence with modern pacing. Brian Anderson provides sharp pitching analysis and clear strategic breakdowns, while Doug Waechter adds local familiarity and practical insight. Tricia Whitaker’s reporting and clubhouse access elevate the broadcast’s storytelling, and Andy Freed’s crossover presence strengthens continuity across radio and television platforms.
The group’s balanced tone, lack of homerism, and consistent clarity resonate with both local viewers and neutral fans watching through out‑of‑market packages. Tampa Bay’s booth remains a model of steady, informed coverage that continues to earn national respect.
Complete 1 to 30 Major League Baseball Broadcast Booth Rankings
Here is the full list of all thirty local broadcast teams ranked from top to bottom according to fan voting totals:
- San Diego Padres: Don Orsillo, Mark Grant, Tony Gwynn Jr., Bob Scanlan
- New York Mets: Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez, Ron Darling, Steve Gelbs
- San Francisco Giants: Duane Kuiper, Mike Krukow, Jon Miller, Dave Flemming, Javier López, Hunter Pence, Laura Britt
- New York Yankees: Michael Kay, Ryan Ruocco, David Cone, Paul O’Neill, Jeff Nelson, Justin Shackil, Meredith Marakovits
- Boston Red Sox: Dave O’Brien, Kevin Youkilis, Will Middlebrooks, Lou Merloni, Jahmai Webster
- Philadelphia Phillies: Tom McCarthy, John Kruk, Ben Davis, Ruben Amaro Jr., Mike Schmidt, Taryn Hatcher
- Atlanta Braves: Brandon Gaudin, C.J. Nitkowski, Jeff Francoeur, Peter Moylan, Wiley Ballard
- Chicago Cubs: Jon Sciambi, Jim Deshaies, Joe Girardi, Taylor McGregor
- Baltimore Orioles: Kevin Brown, Ben McDonald, Jim Palmer, Brian Roberts, Melanie Newman
- St. Louis Cardinals: Chip Caray, Brad Thompson, Jim Edmonds, Al Hrabosky, Alexa Datt
- Toronto Blue Jays: Dan Shulman, Buck Martinez, Joe Siddall, Hazel Mae
- Tampa Bay Rays: Dewayne Staats, Brian Anderson, and Doug Waechter
- Milwaukee Brewers: Brian Anderson, Jeff Levering, Bill Schroeder, Tim Dillard, Sophia Minnaert
- Los Angeles Dodgers: Joe Davis, Stephen Nelson, Orel Hershiser, Nomar Garciaparra, Dontrelle Willis, Kirsten Watson
- Seattle Mariners: Aaron Goldsmith, Rick Rizzs, and Mike Blowers
- Detroit Tigers: Jason Benetti, Dan Petry, Craig Monroe, Kirk Gibson, Carlos Peña, Cameron Maybin
- Pittsburgh Pirates: Joe Block, Greg Brown, Rob King, Bob Walk, John Wehner, Neil Walker, Kevin Young, Matt Capps, Hannah Mears
- Minnesota Twins: Cory Provus, Gregg Caserta, Justin Morneau, Paul Molitor, Glen Perkins, Trevor Plouffe, Denard Span
- Arizona Diamondbacks: Steve Berthiaume, Bob Brenly, Jody Jackson
- Los Angeles Angels: Wayne Randazzo, Patrick O’Neal, Mark Gubicza, Erica Weston
- Chicago White Sox: John Schriffen, Steve Stone, Brooke Fletcher, Gordon Beckham, Connor McKnight, Dan Plesac
- Cincinnati Reds: John Sadak, Jim Day, Tommy Thrall, Jeff Brantley, Chris Welsh, Barry Larkin, Sam LeCure
- Cleveland Guardians: Matt Underwood, Al Pawlowski, Rick Manning, Chris Gimenez, Cayleigh Griffin, Andre Knott
- Houston Astros: Todd Kalas, Kevin Eschenfelder, Geoff Blum, Jeff Bagwell, Julia Morales
- Kansas City Royals: Ryan Lefebvre, Jake Eisenberg, Rex Hudler, Jeff Montgomery, Jeremy Guthrie, Eric Hosmer, Bridget Howard, Joel Goldberg
- Miami Marlins: Kyle Sielaff, Craig Minervini, Tommy Hutton, Jeff Nelson, Gaby Sánchez, Kelly Saco, Jeremy Taché, Craig Mish
- Texas Rangers: Dave Raymond, Jared Sandler, Mike Bacsik, David Murphy, Laura Stickells, Emily Jones
- Washington Nationals: Dan Kolko, Kevin Frandsen, Ryan Zimmerman, Alex Avila, Michael Morse, Alexa Datt
- Colorado Rockies: Drew Goodman, Jeff Huson, Ryan Spilborghs, Cory Sullivan, Marc Stout, Kelsey Wingert
- Oakland Athletics: Jenny Cavnar, Chris Caray, Dallas Braden, Shooty Babitt, Steve Sax
Key Trends From The Voting Period
San Diego captured the top spot for the second straight year, powered by Don Orsillo’s energetic play‑by‑play and Mark Grant’s familiar chemistry. The New York Yankees made the largest jump in survey history, climbing into the top four after several seasons of mixed results. Meanwhile, stable regional booths like Tampa Bay continue to demonstrate that consistency, technical knowledge, and clear communication earn long‑term appreciation from baseball fans across the country.
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