Alex Cohen keeps making the case that Marquee Sports Network may already have its next Cubs play-by-play voice in house.
That was on full display Sunday against the Brewers, when Cohen delivered the kind of finish that sticks with fans. The Cubs squeezed out a game and series win over their rivals on a game-ending double play, and Cohen’s call matched the moment. It was the latest reminder that his fill-in work has moved well beyond novelty.
Boog Sciambi remains the established voice of the Cubs on Marquee, and there’s no real mystery about why the network made him such a central part of its booth when he arrived in 2021 alongside Jim Deshaies. He came in with a national reputation from his years at ESPN, and he’s still regarded as one of the best announcers in baseball. This year, he even topped the Chicago Sun-Times list of on-air Chicago sports media personalities.
Still, there has always been a little debate around Sciambi among Cubs fans. At times, he can feel more like a national broadcaster than a pure team voice, and his calls occasionally don’t land with the same Cubs-specific electricity as Len Kasper’s or Pat Hughes’. Even so, Sciambi has put together plenty of memorable Marquee moments, including the infamous Will Craig-Javier Baez debacle, Mike Tauchman’s game-saving grab against the Cardinals, and a long list of dazzling Pete Crow-Armstrong plays.
The bigger development now is Cohen. After coming up from Iowa as Sciambi’s regular substitute when ESPN duties pull him away, Cohen has steadily won people over with his energy and his feel for the game.
He already had a following from his time with the Iowa Cubs and the way he connected with fans online. Sunday only strengthened the sense that he belongs on this stage.
Cohen’s appeal goes beyond one big call, though that helps. He has the kind of homegrown connection to the organization that naturally resonates with viewers, and he brings a personal touch that feels especially well-suited to a local broadcast. That’s what makes him stand out in a booth that already has a strong foundation.
There’s also no denying what Sciambi has brought to Chicago. He’s built real chemistry with Deshaies, Taylor McGregor, and the rest of the Marquee crew, and he helped stabilize the broadcast after Kasper left for the White Sox.
He was the right hire at the right time. His work off the air has mattered too, especially his annual push for ALS awareness.
But Cohen keeps giving Marquee a reason to think ahead. Monday’s game against the Padres gave him another highlight, with Seiya Suzuki’s walk-off against Mason Miller producing yet another sharp call from the fill-in broadcaster.
Marquee’s booth is in a good place no matter what happens next. Deshaies remains a fixture, the rotating cast around him has improved, and the network has kept sharpening its on-air product since launching. If and when the Cubs have to make a long-term decision, having Sciambi and Cohen both in the conversation is the kind of problem every broadcast team would love to have.
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Battered Cubs Are Starting To Change The Conversation
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Dansby Swanson has been central to that push, giving the lineup a needed boost while the club keeps navigating the roster damage on the mound. Bleacher Reports latest power rankings reflected the shift, moving the Cubs up five spots, and it is a reminder that even with so much unsettled around the rotation and bullpen, this group is making itself harder to dismiss. [Read more 🡒]