Karl Ravech’s name was on ESPN’s layoff list earlier this month, but that hasn’t meant an immediate end to his baseball work for the network.
That’s why viewers saw him in the booth on Thursday night alongside Eduardo Perez for ESPN’s broadcast of Nationals vs. Braves, even after reports said he had been let go in the network’s broader cuts. The appearance sparked some confusion, but the answer is straightforward: Ravech is still scheduled to work select ESPN dates for the rest of baseball season.
Ryan Glasspiegel reported that Ravech “will still be working some dates for ESPN in the coming weeks.” Andrew Marchand later added that Ravech was indeed laid off, but “was given the option to work some more summer dates and has chosen to do that.”
Marchand also reported that Ravech remains set for ESPN’s Little League World Series coverage and a Yankees game in August.
The layoff reports first surfaced on July 21, when ESPN was said to be parting with a group of recognizable names as part of broader cuts at Disney, which owns ESPN. ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro later confirmed the layoffs, including Ravech’s.
Ravech has been with ESPN for 33 years. Over that stretch, he became one of the network’s most familiar baseball voices, including as the longtime play-by-play man on “Sunday Night Baseball” before NBC took over that package this season. He has also regularly handled the Little League World Series, covered college basketball and appeared on “SportsCenter” and “Baseball Tonight.”
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There was pitching to match the bats, too. Lucas Braun worked a quality start for Gwinnett, and Braden Scott turned in another encouraging outing for Columbus after arriving from the independent leagues. Nights like this do not guarantee anything in the majors, but they do reinforce why the Braves keep a close eye on the farm: there is real production coming from multiple levels at once, and a few of these names are starting to make a louder case for what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
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The bigger picture is that this is still more rumor than reality, and that matters for a Braves club that could be looking for a jolt without wanting to overpay. Neto is the kind of player who can quickly become a deadline talking point because of both his age and his value, but there is no certainty he actually changes teams. For Atlanta, the interest is obvious, the fit is easy to see, and the waiting game is just beginning. [Read more 🡒]