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Don Orsillo is scheduled to return to Fenway Park this weekend, making his first return since he worked for the Red Sox television channel, NESN, in 2015.
The beloved play-by-play man announced in a tweet on Monday that he was coming back to Boston for Fox Sports’ Saturday game in the upcoming series between the Red Sox and Yankees. He followed up that tweet saying with another post saying that he would be in the broadcast booth for TBS at Fenway on Sunday, too.
Actually, let’s make it the weekend in Boston. #MLBonTBS has picked their Sunday game and I will be staying. @Yankees @RedSox from Fenway with @RonDarlingJr. pic.twitter.com/cTzcbr39dZ
— Don Orsillo (@DonOrsillo) September 24, 2018
Although his return to Boston will be exciting, the two games he’ll be calling are going to be meaningless for the Red Sox, who have locked up the first place spot in the AL East, as well as home-field advantage throughout the entire postseason. However, the Yankees could still be fighting for something when the time comes for the rivalry series, as they have only secured a Wild Card spot; they could have a similar record to the Athletics (who they are likely to face in the Wild Card series), meaning New York would be playing in hopes of securing the right to play at home, instead of flying out west to Oakland.
Orsillo started his play-by-play career with NESN in 2001, and the first game he called featured a no-hitter from Hideo Nomo. In 2005, Orsillo began working alongside color commentator Jerry Remy, and did so until leaving NESN following the 2015 season. When Remy had to miss games due to health issues, Orsillo worked alongside many new members in the booth, including Dennis Eckersley, Nick Cafardo, Dave Roberts, and Sean Casey. The announcement from NESN that Orsillo would not return for the 2016 season caused disappointment throughout New England to fans who loved watching his broadcasts.
Orsillo would be replaced by Dave O’Brien, who had been working for the Red Sox Radio Network. O’Brien still works for NESN as the Red Sox play-by-play broadcaster.
Orsillo quickly found a new job with the San Diego Padres television network, where he continues to work regularly, when not working for TBS and Fox.
It’s a great time to be a Red Sox fan, given their record-breaking season and an exciting postseason coming up, and to top that all off, Boston fans get their beloved play-by-play guy back for two days.