Iconic Baseball Show Is Getting a Revival on New Platform

Major League Baseball and X are teaming up to revive a fan favorite as "This Week in Baseball" will return this Friday for its first episode since 2011, Sports Illustrated has learned. A new short-form version of the show, hosted by Kait Maniscalco, will air every Friday at 12 p.m. ET on MLB’s X account through the end of the World Series. The project is an MLB Studios and MLB Network collaboration highlighting today's brightest players, greatest moments and intriguing storylines.

An official announcement is expected later today.

This is excellent news for generations of baseball fans who grew up with 'TWIB', a half-hour highlight program that began in 1977 and ran through 1998. For many growing up, it was one of the few weekly windows into the sport and featured the iconic Mel Allen as host. "This Week in Baseball" was then revived in 2000 for a run until '11. Friday's show will be the first in 15 years, a time that seen an incredible amount of change across the media landscape.

“For a generation of fans, "TWIB" is etched in their minds and hearts. The music, the highlights, and the positioning of the game’s stars were groundbreaking in many respects,” said Kenny Gersh, MLB Executive Vice President, Media & Business Development. “To this day, fans speak with profound fondness about how the series shaped their connection to the game. So now, after thoughtful development, our goal is to deliver a show that pairs the vibe and signature style of the original franchise with a modernized format designed for today’s younger, social media savvy generation. We're excited by the opportunity."

The revived version of "TWIB" is expected to strike some nostalgic notes, including the one-of-a-kind theme. It will be interesting to see if some of the classic segments and bloopers carry over. With the debut just two days from now, fans won't have to wait long to find out.

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