Joe Buck to return to MLB booth, set to call Cardinals, Cubs game with Chip Caray on May 24

Former longtime MLB play-by-play announcer Joe Buck will join St. Louis Cardinals broadcaster Chip Caray in calling the Cardinals game Friday, May 24 against the Chicago Cubs, industry sources tell The Athletic. The game will be broadcasted on the Cardinals regional sports network affiliate, Bally Sports Midwest.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch first reported the news.

Buck, who spent parts of 16 seasons in the St. Louis broadcasting booth, will return to a baseball broadcast for the first time since the 2021 World Series. He and Caray are expected to pay homage to Harry Caray, Chip’s grandfather, and Jack Buck, Joe’s father, both legendary broadcasters.

Jack called Cardinals games for 47 seasons, while Harry served as lead play-by-play for both the Cubs and Cardinals over his 53-year career. Jack was awarded the Ford C. Frick award — the highest honor for a sports broadcaster in 1987, Harry in 1989.

Both Chip and Joe will swap stories during the broadcasters about their times growing up in broadcast booths, and how their family members helped inspire their careers.

Chris Caray joins father in booth as fourth-generation MLB broadcaster

Joe spent 26 years as Fox’s lead baseball announcers, where he called 24 World Series, but stepped away from the sport in 2022 to join ESPN on a five-year deal calling Monday Night Football games. While he has more or less ruled out a return to baseball full-time, he was open to the idea in years prior of returning for a special occasion, and the idea of calling a game alongside Caray was especially appealing.

Friday’s broadcast will kick off an exciting broadcast lineup for Cardinals fans.

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