Meet Fox's star-studded 2025 World Series broadcast lineup, from Derek Jeter to John Smoltz

Teddy Ricketson

Meet Fox's star-studded 2025 World Series broadcast lineup, from Derek Jeter to John Smoltz image

The 2025 World Series matchup is set, as the Los Angeles Dodgers will take on the Toronto Blue Jays. The Dodgers are looking to become the first back-to-back World Series winners since the New York Yankees won three in a row from 1998 to 2000. The Blue Jays are hoping to win their first World Series since 1992.

Fox will once again broadcast the World Series and owns the rights to the Fall Classic through the 2028 season. The series begins on Friday, October 24, and could end on Tuesday, October 28, if either team pulls off a 4-0 sweep. It could also end on Wednesday, October 29, for Game 5; Friday, October 31, for Game 6; or Saturday, November 1, if it goes the full seven games.

Here’s more on Fox’s broadcast team for the 2025 World Series.

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Who makes up Fox's broadcast lineup for the 2025 World Series?

Joe Davis, play-by-play

Davis will be back at the forefront of Fox's World Series broadcast for the fourth straight season. He is best known for his baseball coverage now, but was actually a Division III quarterback. Davis began his broadcasting career as an unpaid intern and has served as the Dodgers' play-by-play announcer since 2016.

John Smoltz, color commentary

Smoltz is a Hall of Fame pitcher best known for his time with the Atlanta Braves. He was part of Atlanta’s “Big Three” alongside Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux but doesn’t have comparable numbers because he spent several seasons as the team’s closer. Smoltz is one of 14 pitchers in MLB history to record both 100 wins and 100 saves in his career, and he holds the most wins among that group with 213. He was elected to the Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 2015.

Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci, dugout reporters

Rosenthal is one of the more well-known baseball reporters and currently works as a senior writer for The Athletic. Verducci has been a reporter for Sports Illustrated since 1993. He began a role as a sideline reporter for the World Series in 2016. 

Kevin Burkhardt, studio host

Burkhardt will be tasked with keeping his pre- and post-game panel of former players in line. He’ll be joined by Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and David Ortiz, who will provide analysis on that day’s game and pitching matchup.

Burkhardt himself has a storied history of calling the World Series and, in 2024, became the first person without the last name Nantz, Buck, or Michaels to call a Super Bowl. He began his MLB commentary career as the New York Mets’ field reporter on SNY.

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Derek Jeter, analyst

Jeter is one of the more iconic baseball players in recent memory. "The Captain" played shortstop for the New York Yankees for 20 years. The Hall of Famer is a member of the 3,000 hit club and won five World Series with New York. 

Alex Rodriguez, analyst

Rodriguez spent part of his career in New York, playing third base alongside Jeter at shortstop to complete the left side of the infield. A-Rod hit 696 career home runs, the fourth-most in baseball history. He hasn’t been enshrined in Cooperstown yet due to his connection to steroids, but induction isn’t ruled out in the future.

David Ortiz, analyst

Ortiz rose to recent viral fame when the famous Red Sox player exclaimed, "The Yankees lose!" After New York was eliminated from the 2025 MLB playoffs, leaving Jeter and Rodriguez to just sit and take it.

Big Papi, as he is affectionately called, played in the major leagues for 20 years, but none of them is likely more memorable than 2004, when he helped Boston end its World Series curse. He won three World Series in his career and was elected to the MLB Hall of Fame in 2022, when he was first eligible.

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