New York Mets radio broadcaster Howie Rose announced Thursday that the 2026 season will be his final year in the booth. The 72-year-old revealed his decision in a video released by the team, confirming he will severely reduce his travel workload for his final campaign before stepping down permanently.
Rose will call exactly 84 regular-season games in 2026. His schedule comprises all 81 home games at Citi Field and three road games against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. He will eliminate all out-of-town regular-season travel but is slated to call all postseason games if the Mets qualify, closing out a legendary broadcasting career in New York sports.
Speaking in a two-minute video released by the franchise on Thursday morning, Rose detailed the difficulty of the choice. “Letting go of the Mets isn’t hard, it’s impossible,” Rose stated, noting his desire to spend more time with his wife, Barbara, and their daughters.
The decision follows a gradual reduction in his broadcasting schedule over recent years. Rose has openly managed health struggles stemming from a 2021 bladder cancer diagnosis, noting that the grueling travel demands of a 162-game baseball season had finally caught up with him.
A childhood fan who grew up in the upper deck of Shea Stadium, Rose has been a staple of Mets broadcasts in various capacities since 1987. He transitioned to a full-time radio role in 2004 and was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 2023. He is widely recognized for his signature victory call, “Put it in the books!”, as well as his call of Pete Alonso’s go-ahead home run during the 2024 National League Wild Card Series.
Despite leaving the broadcast booth at the conclusion of the 2026 season, Rose intends to remain connected to the franchise. He plans to continue his role as the master of ceremonies for major on-field events, including Opening Day and future number retirement ceremonies.