New York Mets fans know they've got one of the top local broadcast teams in baseball, but they'll notice a change in the lineup for the next week. Keith Hernandez, the beloved broadcaster, will be stepping away temporarily. According to Newsday, Hernandez is set to miss the next five games.
Stepping in for Hernandez is Todd Zeile, who will join play-by-play ace Gary Cohen as the Mets wrap up their series in St. Louis and then head over to San Francisco.
So, what's keeping Keith Hernandez off the SNY broadcast? Newsday reports it's a back injury that's sidelining him. While the timeline isn't set in stone, it looks like the earliest we might see him back in action is sometime next week.
Hernandez has been a staple in the SNY booth since its inception in 2006, marking his 21st season providing color commentary alongside Cohen and Ron Darling. Before his broadcasting days, Hernandez had a stellar 17-season career in MLB, playing for the Cardinals, Mets, and Indians. He boasted a career .296 batting average with 2,182 hits.
In 1979, Hernandez shared NL MVP honors with Willie Stargell and was a five-time All-Star, hitting an impressive .344 that season. He also snagged two World Series rings, one with the Cardinals and another with the Mets.
But perhaps most memorably, Hernandez won 11 Gold Glove awards at first base, a testament to his defensive prowess. His legacy is cemented with the Mets retiring his No. 17 jersey.