MLB Fans All Asked the Same Question About Pat McAfee's Home Run Derby Intros

McAfee almost said the Steelers instead of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Pat McAfee and Ty Schmit introduced the Home Run Derby field Monday night in Atlanta / Screengrab via ESPN and @MLB on X/Twitter

ESPN's Pat McAfee got the microphone to introduce the field for the 2025 Home Run Derby at Truist Park in Atlanta alongside Ty Schmit, one of his co-hosts on The Pat McAfee Show.

It was a hyped-up skit where the College GameDay host peppered a few jokes in between each player's background. As he spoke prior to the Home Run Derby, fans all had the same question—why was McAfee the one to introduce the field? He's certainly a qualified hype man, but the masses are more familiar with his football and wrestling coverage, although The Pat McAfee Show does tackle sports at-large.

McAfee himself may have been confused, too, as he almost slipped and said "Steelers" when introducing Pittsburgh Pirates representative Oneil Cruz. He even shocked fans with a wild line about Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh's backside.

Here's a snippet of McAfee and Schmit's intros as Washington Nationals star James Wood stepped onto the podium.

Pat McAfee and Ty Schmit doing the intros for the Derby is absolutely electric 😤 pic.twitter.com/gQMqSh91Qi

— MLB (@MLB) July 15, 2025

And baseball fans certainly had some thoughts:

Pat McAfee at the Home Run Derby pic.twitter.com/ZB1CycDbAu

— The r/BillSimmons Podcast (@rBillSimmonsPod) July 15, 2025

Pat McAfee at the Home Run Derby is loud and unnecessary.

— Charlie Murray🐬 (@grizz01) July 15, 2025

We all got McAfee fatigue at this point right?

— 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐭 (@Notorious_Det) July 15, 2025

Bro almost said Pittsburg Steelers 😭

— Ball Boy (@BallBoy_Media) July 15, 2025

Meanwhile, the players are like pic.twitter.com/Vvkff3oDJd

— Cole Douglas Claybourn (@ColeClaybourn) July 15, 2025

Pat McAfee almost said Pittsburgh Steelers instead of Pirates haha.

— Mikey Aces (@Mikey5Aces) July 15, 2025

Isn’t he supposed to be announcing wrestling or something tonight?

— EllyMuse (@EllyDeLaMuse) July 15, 2025

is the electricity in the room with us? https://t.co/lvz8kIq1iL

— Diamond Digest (@Diamond_Digest) July 15, 2025

Is it too much to ask for baseball guys to do the baseball events? https://t.co/t6qVkMLKeI

— Clean Cut Sports (@CleanCutSport) July 15, 2025

That was undoubtedly an interesting way to kick off the Home Run Derby.

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