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Mets Legendary Broadcaster to Retire after 2026 Season

After over 30 years of calling Mets games, radio play-by-play announcer Howie Rose is set to retire after this season.
Logan VanDine|
Apr 15, 2022; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets radio broadcaster Howie Rose serves as master of ceremonies during the Tom Seaver Statue unveiling ceremony prior to the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Apr 15, 2022; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets radio broadcaster Howie Rose serves as master of ceremonies during the Tom Seaver Statue unveiling ceremony prior to the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

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New York Mets

A fixture of New York Mets broadcasting will be calling it a career after this season.

Mets radio play-by-play announcer Howie Rose announced today that he will retire following the 2026 season, after over 30 years of calling Mets games in multiple capacities.

Rose, 72, first broke into the broadcasting field in 1975 and has been calling Mets games on both radio and television since 1995. Rose initially began his broadcasting career calling NHL games for the New York Rangers (1989-1995) and New York Islanders (1995-2016); he would call Islanders games during the baseball offseason after his Mets tenure began.

This announcement from Rose also comes after he announced earlier that he will not call any road games this season, except for the Subway Series at Yankee Stadium and if the Mets make the playoffs this year.

In a statement, principal owners Steve and Alex Cohen said, "His passion for the Mets has carried across the airwaves and into the homes and hearts of fans everywhere, bringing the franchise's most memorable moments to life. Generations of Mets fans have grown up listening to Howie call the game with authenticity, energy, and deep appreciation for what this team means to our community."

Over the past couple of seasons, Rose had to significantly cut back his schedule due to health problems, calling just over 100 games a season after a bout with bladder cancer during the 2021 season. Traveling has also been an issue for the legendary broadcaster, resulting in Rose opting not to call any road games in 2026.

Since becoming a fixture of play-by-play broadcasting, Rose has been known for his end-of-the-game catchphrase after a Mets win, "Put it in the books!" A number of memorable Mets moments featured Rose behind the mic as well. This includes Mike Piazza's dramatic home run against the Atlanta Braves in the first sporting event in New York after 9/11, the Mets’ run to the 2015 National League pennant, and Pete Alonso’s go-ahead home run in Game 3 of the 2024 NL Wild Card Series against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Aside from his broadcasting duties, Rose has been the master of ceremonies during key Mets events, including the introduction of the Opening Day roster and coaching staff at both Shea Stadium and Citi Field since 2004. He also hosted the ceremony marking the opening of Citi Field in 2009, the 40th anniversary of the 1969 World Series team, the 30th anniversary of the 1986 World Series team, and the Mets' first Old-Timers' Day in 2022.

Additionally, Rose has hosted the number retirement ceremonies of Mike Piazza (2016), Keith Hernandez (2022), Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry (2024), and most recently David Wright (2025).

Rose will now have one last go around of calling Mets games this year and retire from what has truly been a legendary career.

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Logan VanDine
LOGAN VANDINE

Logan VanDine is a contributing writer for On SI's Mets. Logan is a graduate of Rider University where he majored in Sports Media and minored in Sports Studies. During his time at Rider, Logan worked for Rider's radio station, 107.7 The Bronc as a sports host, producer and broadcaster, and for the school's paper: The Rider News. He began his time with The Rider News as a section writer for sports and was a copy editor for two years followed by being one of the sports editors during his senior year. Logan also placed third in the New Jersey Press Foundation Awards for sports feature writing. Aside from his work at On SI, he is also a writer for FanSided covering the New York Giants and Mets and also covers the Giants for Total Apex Sports. Give him a follow on X: @VandineLogan

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