Giants' Broadcaster Discusses What Departure of Mike Krukow Will Feel Like

Duane Kuiper will say goodbye to his longtime broadcasting partner, Mike Krukow, at season's end and says, ‘This one’s really hard’.

San Francisco Giants television announcer Duane Kuiper | Credit: Darren Yamashita | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

It will be a bittersweet farewell at the end of the season, and not just because the San Francisco Giants will all say their goodbyes after a losing season.

It's even more gut-wrenching for the organization, and especially their fans, that Bay Area broadcasting legend Mike Krukow will be stepping down after nearly 40 seasons as part of the team's broadcasting unit.

Before that, he had been a top starting pitcher for the club in the 1980s. So, the blood in his veins flows Orange and Black; he is the epitome of Giants' baseball.

From 1983-89, Krukow compiled a record of 66-56, with a 3.84 ERA and 802 strikeouts on the mound at the old Candlestick Park. He was named to the franchise's 1980s All-Decade team and the Giants Wall of Fame in 2008.

Upon his retirement, he began as a part-time broadcaster for the club before taking over TV duties full-time. That's when he was paired with his now-partner of 36 years, Duane Kuiper, and the duo have called diamond action involving everyone from Barry Bonds to Bryce Eldridge together.

Statement from Giants Broadcaster Mike Krukow pic.twitter.com/e9WbJFG3T9

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) August 6, 2026

So, Kuiper isn't just giving well wishes to a co-worker. He's forged a bond with Krukow that has blossomed into a brotherhood. He discussed the goodbye game, along with the emotions and the process of how it will likely both feel and work.

“I’ll miss us entertaining each other,” Kuiper said about Krukow's departure, according to the San Francisco Standard. “I’ve always said, if we entertain each other on the air, there’s a really good chance we’re entertaining the people at home. Just the give and take that’ll happen once or twice a broadcast where you go, ‘Yeah, man, this really works.’

“And then I’ll miss the hour that we have before the game, where we sit next to each other in the booth, fill in our scorecards, and prepare for the game; just the two of us. Maybe we’ll talk about who’s in the lineup, our kids, our grandkids. That hour is really the most special hour we have together, before the game starts."

An Au Revoir at Oracle

Retiring Giants TV announcer Mike Krukow | Credit: Darren Yamashita | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Mike Krukow's last broadcast is scheduled for September 27 against the Giants' greatest rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, at Oracle Park. It will be a magical but emotional day for everyone involved. But before he and his broadcaster reach that final marker, Kuiper wants to take it home with a strong finish to their tenure together.

“I want everybody to know that the last month and a half will be a really special time,” Kuiper said. “We’re good to go, and we’ll definitely enjoy each other the rest of the way. Each game now is a special game in itself, and that’s how we treat it.”