With John Sterling retired once again, WFAN and the Yankees have settled on a replacement for the legendary broadcaster.
Dave Sims will become the team’s new radio play-by-play man, according to multiple reports. The move is a homecoming of sorts for the 71-year-old, as Sims began his career as a sportswriter with the Daily News in 1975 and hosted a midday talk show on WFAN with Ed Coleman from 1989-1993, among other local jobs.
Sims, known for signature calls such as “Hey now” and “Giddy up, baby,” has been the Mariners’ television play-by-play man since 2007. The Philadelphia native will now join the 78-year-old Suzyn Waldman, Sterling’s longtime broadcast partner, in the Yankees’ radio booth.
WFAN is close on a deal to hire Dave Sims as John Sterling’s replacement.
He served as the Mariners TV announcer and has delivered some INCREDIBLE calls 🔥
pic.twitter.com/mO5GryJsfk— Fireside Yankees (@FiresideYankees) November 14, 2024
The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reported that Sims is receiving a two-year contract, while the New York Post’s Ryan Glasspiegel was the first to report a deal was close. Rickie Ricardo, the Yankees’ Spanish language radio announcer, was also a finalist for the position.
Sterling, 86, retired from the Yankees’ radio booth a few games into the 2024 season. Justin Shackil and Emmanuel Berbari then handled the majority of the remaining regular season games alongside Waldman before Sterling unretired for the Yankees’ playoff run to the World Series.
Sterling, who called Yankees games for 36 years, and Sims were both named finalists for the Baseball Hall of Fame’s Ford C. Frick Award in October.
