Mike Krukow’s run in the Giants’ broadcast booth is nearing its end, and Duane Kuiper isn’t hiding how hard that is to process.
Krukow, the former San Francisco pitcher who became one of the most familiar voices in the franchise, is set to retire from his television duties at the end of the year. For Kuiper, who has spent 36 years sharing the mic with him, the news landed like the end of an era - even if the two of them handled it the way they always have, with a little bit of teasing mixed in.
“We talked a little bit, and finally, I said, ‘I don’t want to talk about it anymore,’ I got up and pointed my finger at Mike, and I said, ‘I am really, really pissed at you,’” Kuiper said. “I turned around, and I walked out, and he laughed.”
That joke barely masks the real feeling underneath it. Kuiper made it clear he’ll miss calling games alongside Krukow, but he also said he understands why his longtime partner is stepping away.
“He’s doing this for the right reasons,” Kuiper said. “There isn’t anybody in the world who wants to do games on TV more than Mike does. That’s why it’s really, really, really upsetting, because his ability to do games is as good as ever, but it’s getting from A to B that’s really hard.”
Krukow’s path to the booth has been a long one. He spent seven seasons in a Giants uniform, then came back to the organization on a part-time basis after his playing career ended. He started by calling 14 games a season before eventually moving into a full-time role a few years later.
Over time, the job itself changed for him. He has relied on a motorized chair to get around and hasn’t traveled with the team since 2019. Instead, he handled road games from a studio in San Francisco while Kuiper was on-site, and the two still managed to keep the chemistry intact even when they were separated by thousands of miles.
Krukow said the idea of a quieter, more relaxing life holds real appeal, but leaving Kuiper behind made the decision especially painful.
“Walking away from Duane is the hardest thing I’ve ever tried to do,” Krukow told the Chronicle. “I don’t even know how I could actually do it.”
His final broadcast is scheduled for September 27, and it comes against the Dodgers at Oracle Park. For Krukow, it will be one last chance to close out his Giants broadcasting career in front of the home crowd, with the team’s longtime rival on the other side.
In Other News...
Matt Chapman Update Leaves Giants With A Bigger Question Ahead
Matt Chapmans latest injury update gives the Giants a clearer picture of why his season has unraveled, even if it does little to soften the blow. The third baseman has been out since early July and, according to the diagnosis, has been grinding through a hernia for most of the year while trying to stay on the field for a club that has leaned on his glove and veteran presence.
Now the bigger question is what comes next, both for Chapman and for the Giants. He remains under contract for four more years, and the organization is hoping the operation can set him up for a stronger version of himself down the line, even as this season is headed toward a frustrating ending and the recovery timeline will linger over the months ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Give Trent Harris A Real Shot When They Need Arms
The Giants are turning to another arm as they try to keep piecing together a pitching staff, selecting the contract of right-hander Trent Harris and adding him to the 40-man roster. To clear a spot, Tristan Beck was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento, a reminder of how quickly the back end of the roster can shift when a club needs fresh innings.
Harris, 27, gets his first major league call-up after joining the organization as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and making a case for himself with strong minor league work out of the bullpen and in recent starts. For San Francisco, it is the kind of opportunity that speaks to both need and timing, with Harris now getting a real chance to show whether he can hold up against big league hitters. [Read more 🡒]
Giants May Have Found A Fascinating Robbie Ray Trade Lottery Ticket
The Giants Robbie Ray deal did more than shuffle a veteran arm out the door. In the return from San Diego, San Francisco added Miguel Mendez and a teenage infielder who has already started to pop on the radar in the Dominican Summer League, the kind of lower-level talent that can make a trade look a lot more interesting a year or two down the line.
Joniel Hernandez was signed out of Cuba during the international period and has produced a promising early batting line with a healthy walk rate, which is enough to get a scouts attention even before the power arrives. For the Giants, the appeal is obvious: a middle infielder with a chance to grow into more impact as he advances, provided the contact skills keep moving in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]