Jessica Mendoza’s future is in a broadcast booth. That means she is done with working for the New York Mets, at least for now.
Her role will change at ESPN. Mendoza has been a part of the network’s Sunday Night Baseball broadcasts since 2015, but in 2020 she will move to weeknights. It will make her the first woman to serve as a solo analyst on a Major League Baseball broadcast. She will also become the first woman to be an analyst for a World Series game on national radio in 2020.
The increased work load lead to Mendoza resigning her post with the New York Mets. The announcement of a new deal with ESPN and the subsequent end of Mendoza’s relationship with the Mets coincidentally comes one day after Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said that he was uncomfortable with broadcasters like Mendoza and TBS’s Pedro Martinez working in advisory roles for teams.
“We have enjoyed our relationship with Jessica and appreciated all her contributions and insight over the past year,” Mets General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen told ESPN. “We are excited for her expanded role at ESPN and fully understand and support her need to fully invest her time in all the new platforms. We have such respect and value her baseball insight and know her impact on the game of baseball is just beginning.”
Jessica Mendoza expressed gratitude for the opportunity to continue with ESPN, but she did express some disappointment at no longer being a part of Sunday Night Baseball.
“Some of the best memories of my career have been with Sunday Night Baseball and I will miss my time with our amazing crew, who have been like family,” she said in a press release. “I’m grateful to ESPN for continuing to commit to me and I can’t wait for the season to get started.”
There has been much speculation about the future of ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball booth since last season. David Cone, who has spent the last several seasons calling Yankees games on the YES Network, has emerged as a possible addition according to Andrew Marchand of The New York Post. It is also possible that Jessica Mendoza is not replaced at all, and Sunday Night Baseball will feature the two-man team of Alex Rodriguez and Matt Vasgersian.
