Iconic Mets Announcer Will Retire After This Season

Howie Rose signals that 2026 will be his final one behind a microphone with the franchise.

This will be Howie Rose's last season calling New York Mets games. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

A legendary voice has announced that this upcoming 2026 season will be his last in the booth.

Howie Rose, the unique play-by-play voice of the Mets since 1995, revealed that he is stepping away from the microphone after the 2026 campaign concludes.

In a video posted to the team's official X account, Rose reflected on his long run with the franchise that began back in 1987.

"Trust me I did not arrive at this decision to retire easily," Rose said. "I've been going back and forth in my mind about it for the past few years. But the simple reality is that I am 72 years old and my wife, Barbara, who has sacrificed so much for so long, deserves to have her husband around a little more often."

A message from @HowieRose: pic.twitter.com/PwC89TDduy

— New York Mets (@Mets) March 19, 2026

Rose revealed that he doesn't intend on making a clean break from all things related to the Mets and hopes to hop back in some capacity.

"Letting go of the Mets isn't hard, it's impossible," the announcer said.

Rose is in his fifth decade as a broadcaster and has split his time doing both television and radio in his career. During the earlier portion of his run he called hockey as well, serving as a voice for New York Islanders games until 2016. One of his most iconic calls came on WFAN when the New York Rangers won Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals on an overtime goal.

One of his other most famous calls came two years ago when Pete Alonso's home run swiftly changed the Mets' prospects in a playoff series against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Howie Rose’s full call of Pete Alonso’s home run on Mets radio was awesome. pic.twitter.com/oIBubfpWSc

— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) October 4, 2024

---