The MLB Central trio of Robert Flores, Lauren Shehadi and Mark DeRosa is celebrating its 1,000th episode working together this Thursday. The MLB Network morning show, which has been on the air for the last decade, has utilized the current cast for the last seven years where they have talked about the league at large. The program broadcasts on weekdays beginning at 10 a.m. EST from Studio 21 and features highlights, news, analysis and interviews surrounding the game of baseball.
Flores, Shehadi and DeRosa were all recently interviewed for a feature article written by Steve Gardner of USA TODAY in which they emphasized the collaborative nature of planning MLB Central and how the program deviates from typical offerings about the game. DeRosa explained that the show tries to honor stories of players and also attempts to make the viewers laugh, essentially showing people a different side of the game. While DeRosa played 16 seasons in the major leagues, Flores and Shehadi both have backgrounds in journalism and provide a blend of experience and authenticity to the offering.
“While all these other shows are doing whatever, we’re trying to give them smart analysis and insight and celebrating the game and trying to make you laugh, all in the same two hours,” Flores said in the article, who has been a host at MLB Network since 2016. Shehadi joined the league-owned broadcast network in 2012, while DeRosa was added to the on-air talent roster one year later as a studio analyst.
Ratings for the program are currently up 7% compared to the previous year, according to data from Nielsen Media Research cited by Sports Business Journal, amid success across a variety of MLB Network studio shows. Earlier in the year, the broadcast entity made changes to its broadcast lineup that included the expansion of MLB Tonight with a national pregame show offering, along with a simulcast of the final hour of The Leadoff Spot from SiriusXM MLB Network Radio. The network is planning to move into a new 207,000 square-foot facility in Elmwood Park, N.J. beginning with the 2028 baseball season.
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