The Diamondbacks are parting ways with longtime broadcaster Steve Berthiaume, opting not to bring him back after 14 seasons as their television play-by-play voice.
“His contract is up and we felt it was a good time to take a step back and re-evaluate our broadcasts,” Diamondbacks president Derrick Hall said. “He was here 14 years and was a great DBack.”
Berthiaume departs as the longest-tenured play-by-play man in club history. Known for his hard-working pregame prep work, his broadcasts maintained a focus on the action on the field while also highlighting his strong rapport with analyst Bob Brenly, his partner during his entire tenure.
“I’m obviously surprised and disappointed,” Berthiaume told The Arizona Republic on Monday, Oct. 5. “As I told the
Diamondbacks, I’m very appreciative to have had the opportunity to connect with our fan base these past 14 years. I’ve always tried to put the club first. I enjoyed my Arizona experience and I’m grateful to all my friends and colleagues in our broadcast group.
“I’m quite proud of how hard our group worked to raise the production level on our shows. MLB Local Media is an outstanding partner and I’m sure will continue to be. I’m looking forward to what’s next.”
Berthiaume joined the Diamondbacks ahead of the 2013 season. He came to Arizona after 12 years with ESPN, where he was a "Baseball Tonight" host and a SportsCenter anchor.
It is not clear how the Diamondbacks will proceed in replacing Berthiaume, though radio play-by-play broadcaster Chris Garagiola is expected to be among the candidates.
It is also unknown whether the club will make additional changes to its primary broadcasters.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Diamondbacks make major change on television broadcasts | Exclusive
