Fastball

Former Boston Red Sox Infielder Lou Merloni to Take Bigger Role in Team's Broadcasts in 2025

According to a recent report from Mass Live, Merloni will be the team's primary color broadcaster on NESN.
Brady Farkas|
Oakland Athletics third baseman (2) Lou Merloni hits a home run against the Chicago White Sox at Phoenix Municipal Stadium in Phoenix, AZ in 2007.
Oakland Athletics third baseman (2) Lou Merloni hits a home run against the Chicago White Sox at Phoenix Municipal Stadium in Phoenix, AZ in 2007. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Boston Red Sox

According to a recent report from Mass Live, the Boston Red Sox have nearly finalized their broadcast plans for the 2025 season.

According to Sean McAdam, former Red Sox infielder Lou Merloni will be the team's primary television analyst on NESN, calling more than half the games. It's unknown what role, if any, Kevin Youkilis will play, as his contract expired last year.

Furthermore, former infielder Will Middlebrooks will split time between television and radio on WEEI. Will Flemming will take over the primary radio broadcaster in the absence of Hall of Famer Joe Castiglione, who has retired.

These all seem like good decisions for the Red Sox and their broadcast partners. Merloni has become a fan favorite over the last few years, for several reasons.

First, he's a local kid, having grown up in Framingham, Mass. and playing college ball at Providence. Second, he played for the Red Sox, spending parts of six major league seasons in Boston. He understands the fan base, the expectations and the history, and imparts that on each broadcast. As a former player, he's able to articulate the nuances of the game in a relatable fashion for fans of all ages and experience levels.

Fourth, he's also a refined broadcaster, having done several years of Boston sports talk radio. In combination with his playing experience and personal relationships, he's not afraid to give an opinion, making him even more appreciated by fans.

Merloni was a lifetime .271 hitter with 14 homers and 125 RBI.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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