Wednesday, October 21, 2026

A-Rod Reportedly Inks Fox Sports Extension, Will Depart ESPN

  • Rodriguez’s new Fox deal is believed to be “the most lucrative deal yet for an MLB analyst,” per the Hollywood Reporter.
  • The former MLB star will reportedly leave ESPN after this year—ending his “KayRod” Sunday Night Baseball broadcast.
Rodriguez’s new Fox deal is believed to be “the most lucrative deal yet for an MLB analyst."
Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Want more from Front Office Sports
in your search results?

Add Front Office Sports on Google

Alex Rodriguez has reportedly signed a new contract extension with Fox Sports that will see the former MLB slugger leave his other broadcasting gig with ESPN.

Rodriguez’s reported extension with Fox is expected to be for at least three years and “the most lucrative deal yet for an MLB analyst,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. A-Rod joined Fox Sports as a full-time baseball analyst in 2017 after working playoff games for the network since 2015.

The reported exclusive nature of Rodriguez’s new deal means that the current MLB season will be his last at ESPN, where he co-hosts the network’s “KayRod” alternate Sunday Night Baseball broadcast alongside Michael Kay. Rodriguez has been on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball team since 2018.

Rodriguez’s departure from ESPN would come after the network laid off some 20 on-air personalities in June, including many basketball and football-focused talents such as Jeff Van Gundy, Jalen Rose, Max Kellerman, Keyshawn Johnson, Steve Young, and Suzie Kolber, among others. ESPN is also not renewing the contracts of notable talents Bomani Jones, Rob Ninkovich, Neil Everett, Chris Chelios, and Vince Carter.  

At Fox, Rodriguez will continue working MLB studio coverage with Kevin Burkhardt and fellow retired MLB stars David Ortiz and Derek Jeter, who is new to FOX this year. Another splash from the network will come with Tom Brady’s NFL coverage debut in 2024.

“I’ve really had a lot of fun and success with the Fox studio. I think we have an incredible team,” Rodriguez told FOS in 2022. “The continuity is great. We know exactly who we are. It’s a little bit what they’ve done with NFL football, with Howie Long and Terry Bradshaw. But I think the “KayRod” is an example of where baseball and sports could move — especially baseball, because you have sometimes up to four hours to fill.” 

A-rod is also co-owner of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves, and a report emerged in May that he was seeking to launch a huge buyout fund to buy stakes in other sports teams.

Download the FOS App

The business of sports, in your pocket.

QR code to download the app

Scan the QR code to get the app now.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

College Football’s Emerging Powers Are Shaking Up TV Ratings

BYU–Notre Dame averaged 9.2 million viewers on ABC.
Oct 7, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) against the Tampa Bay Rays in game three of the ALDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium.

Steinbrenner Lays Blame for Yankees Playoff Loss With Players

The club’s managing general partners made several pointed remarks.

AUSL Hasn’t Recognized Pro Softball Players Union Yet

The new AUSL Players Association wants the league at the bargaining table.
Sep 27, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners left fielder Randy Arozarena (56) celebrates at second base after hitting a two-run double during the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at T-Mobile Park.

MLB Qualifying Offer Figure Rises Amid Labor Strife

An uncertain offseason for MLB is quickly approaching.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

10/21/26 – T-Mac Backs Clippers Penalty, 80-to-1 Rays Haunt Sportsbooks, Jay-Z Picks Jay-Z

0:00

Featured Today

Football - NFL - Houston Texans v Jacksonville Jaguars - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - October 18, 2026 The necklace of a Jacksonville Jaguars fan outside the stadium before the match

Die-Hard Sports Fandom Has Reached the Afterlife

Will fans pay $6,000 to memorialize their team loyalty?
October 20, 2026

Why Europe Is Pumping Out NBA Superstars

The NBA and NCAA have an increasingly European flavor.
October 15, 2026

College Flag Football Is Outgrowing Its DIY Era

Women have been building the college game themselves at the club level.
Oct 5, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas arrives at the arena before the Penguins host the Winnipeg Jets at PPG Paints Arena
October 12, 2026

NHL’s New Wave of GMs Is Built Different

“I am in the prediction business,” Devils GM Sunny Mehta tells FOS.
Action Images/Peter Cziborra
October 9, 2026

Is Leicester City’s $264 Million Price Tag Too Rich for Hungry Investors?

After falling from grace, how much is a former top club worth?

NBC Claims Record Audience for Start of WNBA Finals

The Finals are tied 1–1 with the series shifting to Atlanta.
during WTGL Media Day at SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida on September 20, 2026.
Exclusive
October 21, 2026

WTGL to Lean Into Female Broadcast Talent on ESPN and Ion

ESPN’s Taylor Tannebaum will make her golf broadcasting debut.
Inglewood, CA - October 12, 2026 - SoFi Stadium: Troy Aikman prior to a regular season Monday Night Football game.
Opinion
October 21, 2026

‘Nobody Calls a Game Better’: Why ESPN Should Keep Troy Aikman

Michael Wilbon and Stephen A. Smith have publicly backed Aikman.
Sponsored

Blake Griffin’s Plan for Media Domination

The former NBA star is building a second act across media & entertainment.
October 20, 2026

Netflix Releases Q3 Earnings, Preps Big Q4 for Sports

The streaming giant tried to put a hopeful spin on staff cuts.
CBS Sports NFL B Team covering the Cincinnati Bengals versus New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on September 25, 2022.
October 20, 2026

Evan Washburn Eyes March Madness for His ‘Instant Film Room’

The CBS sideline reporter has put a new spin on postgame interviews.
Josh Pate Front Office Sports Tuned In
October 20, 2026

Josh Pate: Internet Hate Is ‘Not Real Life’

Pate learned the lesson on campus trips alongside Danny Kanell.
Santa Clara, CA - September 9, 2024 - Levi's Stadium: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman on the sidelines prior to a Monday Night Football.
October 19, 2026

Buck, Aikman Avoid the Elephant in the ‘MNF’ Booth

Aikman and Buck focused purely on football during ‘MNF.’