Michael Kay and A-Rod criticized for non-Yankees playoff coverage

Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Philadelphia Phillies was called by Michael Kay and Alex Rodriguez, and furious Yankees fans responded on Twitter.

The official start of the 2022 MLB playoffs was on Friday, October 7, with the Wild Card Series. The St. Louis Cardinals and the Philadelphia Phillies played the second game of the day at 2:00 p.m. ET on ABC.

Fans of the Yankees were in for a big surprise when they saw that Michael Kay and Alex Rodriguez were talking about the game. Kay is best known for calling the New York Yankees’ games on the YES Network. Rodriguez spent the second half of his career playing for the Yankees. The two are, of course, part of the “KayRod Cast,” a different ESPN show.

It would be an understatement to say that Twitter users were surprised. That, and some people didn’t like how Ale3x and Kay talked about Cardinals vs. Phillies.

During the Cardinals vs. Phillies game, MLB Twitter reacted to the commentary team of Michael Kay and Alex Rodriguez.

Hearing Michael Kay call a game without the Yankees in it is so odd 😂
pic.twitter.com/pxAUNP3gOy

— 4 Train Savages (@FourSavages) October 7, 2022

I was like “huh it’s weird that Michael Kay and A-Rod are calling a non-Yankees game” and lmao they’re just talking about how everything in the game relates to the Yankees

— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) October 7, 2022

Michael Kay doing this game has to be the weirdest thing ever. https://t.co/0bnAsR4Z44

— Jarid Hodgy ⚾️ (@HodgyJarid) October 7, 2022

The ABC broadcast looks terrible and Michael Kay sounds like an announcer in MLB The Show and every time A-Rod gets 75% of the way through a thought his brain U-turns onto another one, but other than that, going great so far

— Jon Tayler, Top 0.1% On OnlyJons (@JATayler) October 7, 2022

Michael Kay calling a Phillies-Cardinals game is breaking my brain

— Stuckey (@Stuckey2) October 7, 2022

Phillies fans have to go 8 years without a postseason berth and then in their first game back in it they have to listen to Michael Kay and Arod, I am very sorry Philadelphia

— Brian (@Ga1act1c) October 7, 2022

Michael Kay can’t stop talking about the Yankees during the Phils/Cards game. It is basically, “Schwarber hits a lot of HRs. You know who hit more? Aaron Judge.”

— AJ (@NCSox) October 7, 2022

Listening to Michael Kay not on YES and not doing a Yankees game is so weird

— OCTOBER DERK (@captainderk) October 7, 2022

This is the first time I’ve really listened to Michael Kay and ARod. Do they really have such terribly chemistry all the time? Their transitions are so bad.

— stlCupofJoe (@stlCupofJoe) October 7, 2022

This is what I mean when I say Michael Kay is terrible. Literal extended periods of time after plays where he just doesn’t say a word. No one will ever change my mind on this Lmao.

— Playoff Nimmo. (@NimmOBP) October 7, 2022

On social media, Michael Kay does get a little bit of the Joe Buck treatment. Like any other commentator, fans either like or dislike them. No matter what you think of Michael Kay, it is strange to hear him call anything but a Yankee game.

The “KayRod Cast,” which was hosted by Kay and Rodriguez, would air instead of the regular “Sunday Night Baseball” show.

Since the Wild Card Series was only on ESPN/ABC, Alden Gonzalez, Michael Kay, and Ivan Rodriguez were chosen to call the whole Cardinals-Phillies series. ESPN Public Relations announced the other commentators for the Wild Card Series.

• San Diego Padres vs. New York Mets: Karl Ravech, Eduardo Perez, David Cone, and Buster Olney
• Tampa Bay Rays vs. Cleveland Guardians: Jon “Boog” Sciambi, Doug Glanville, and Jesse Rogers
• Seattle Mariners vs. Toronto Blue Jays: Dave Flemming, Jessica Mendoza, Tim Kurkjian, and Coley Harvey

After the Wild Card round, FOX and TBS will show the Division Series.

Do you agree with the way fans treated Michael Kay?