If you’ve been following the Yankees, you probably know Michael Kay, the guy who’s been a play-by-play announcer for nearly 30 years. He’s basically the voice of Yankees baseball. Alex Rodriguez, who’s one of the Yankees’ all-time greats, recently spilled that he wants to recreate his 50th home run! Why? Because when he hit that milestone, Michael Kay was on leave and didn’t get to announce it.  

Rodriguez was so disappointed in Kay not being there to call his historic homer, that he was itching for a redo. Michael Kay revealed that when he heard about A-Rod’s historic homer, he nearly lost it. Picture this: Kay was walking through Central Park and was so overwhelmed by the news that he almost threw his phone into a fountain. Can you imagine? 

Michael Kay reflects on missing A-Rod’s 500th home run

Here’s a fun behind-the-scenes nugget from the Yankees universe that’ll give you all the feels! In a recent Bloomberg Originals interview with Jason Kelly, Alex Rodriguez revealed a surprising desire: he wants to recreate his 500th home run, just so Michael Kay can have the chance to announce it. So, what did Michael Kay think about this unexpected wish? When Kelly brought Kay into the conversation, things got pretty wild. Kay’s reaction was a mix of disbelief and nostalgia, as he said, “First of all, Alex took forever to hit that homer, and when he finally did, I had a day off.” Talk about bad timing! Kay went on to recount a vivid memory from that day. He was strolling through Central Park when he got the news about A-Rod’s milestone on his phone, admitting, “I almost threw my phone into the fountain.” Classic Kay, right?

But it’s not all bad news. While missing the 500th homer was a tough break for Kay, he’s had the pleasure of announcing Rodriguez’s 600th and his last 696 homers, including his 3000th hit. So, despite that one day off, he’s definitely been there for the major milestones. But here’s where it gets even better! Despite the hiccup with the 500th home run, Michael Kay and Alex Rodriguez’s partnership has been a home run in its own. Their dynamic has been electric, especially since they teamed up for the KayRod Cast, ESPN’s alternate broadcast of Sunday Night Baseball.

Alex Rodriguez and Michael Kay go way back  

Ever wondered what it’s like to work with Alex Rodriguez? Michael Kay, the voice behind Yankees broadcasts, has had the front-row seat to this unique experience. In 2023, Kay and A-Rod teamed up for the KayRod Cast, an alternate broadcast of select baseball games that’s been making waves. So, how’s it been working with the former Yankees slugger? According to Kay, it’s been quite the ride! He opened up to the New York Post’s Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman on ‘The Show’ about what it’s like behind the scenes. “Alex is incredibly committed to making the KayRod Cast a success,” Kay shared, adding, “He prepares like you wouldn’t believe.”

And while they’ve had their share of ups and downs, Kay thinks Rodriguez is a genuinely decent guy who works hard to connect with people. Before Kay agreed to the gig, he had a heart-to-heart with Rodriguez about the show’s direction. Kay made it clear that uncomfortable topics might come up, and Rodriguez was all in, saying nothing was off-limits. Sure enough, during an April broadcast, Kay even cracked a joke about Jennifer Lopez’s marriage to Ben Affleck—talk about keeping it real! So, if you’re tuning in to their broadcasts, you’re not just catching the game—you’re getting an insider’s look at two big personalities bringing their A-game to the booth.

However, because Alex Rodriguez inked a multi-year contract with Fox Sports last year, Michael Kay and the KayRod alt-cast will not be back. Do you think Alex Rodriguez should re-create his 500th homer? Let us know in the comments.