Jason Benetti is leaving the White Sox broadcast booth to become the play-by-play voice for the Tigers Detroit announced the hiring via its social media channels on Thursday.
Widely popular, Benetti takes over from Matt Shepard, who the Tigers let go immediately after the conclusion of the 2023 season. Shepard had been calling the team’s TV broadcasts on Bally Sports Detroit for the past five years.
For Benetti, this concludes an eight-season journey with the White Sox. The Illinois native has seen growth in his national profile, broadcasting college football and basketball for ESPN, in addition to the alternative “Statcast” baseball broadcasts on the network. During the 2022 season, Benetti was also the primary play-by-play voice for MLB Sunday Leadoff on Peacock. Currently, he calls college football and basketball for Fox Sports, as well as MLB and NFL games.
Losing a respected voice in the White Sox faithful broadcast is disheartening, while Tigers supporters have expressed enthusiasm about seeing it as an enhancement for the moribund broadcast. Benetti’s move was a wonder for MLB fans and the media worldwide. Here’s a sample of social media reactions:
Benetti stated, “I am feeling extremely proud to be joining this historic and emerging Tigers franchise. There’s something special about it, and I am excited to bring that energy to Tigers fans around the world.”
It’s expected that Benetti will call at least 127 broadcasts for the Tigers. While Benetti works on Fox Sports broadcasts, the team’s radio voice, Dan Dickerson, will handle the games.
