Orioles broadcaster apparently removed for unflattering stats on team

The Baltimore Orioles say broadcaster Kevin Brown will be back on the air soon after reports that he had been removed after highlighting the team’s poor record in road games against the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Athletic, citing unidentified sources, reported that Brown was taken off the air over his comments on a MASN-TV broadcast on 23 July. He pointed out that the Orioles were already 3-2 at Tampa Bay this year after winning only three games there from 2020-22 (they then won again to improve to 4-2 in 2023.)

The Orioles are having their best season in years and currently have the best record in the American League.

Announcers such as Michael Kay of the YES Network came to Brown’s defense Monday night.

“MLB has to get involved,” Kay, who does play-by-play for the New York Yankees, said on social media. “This is an awful look and a terrible thing to do to a terrific broadcaster.”

Mets broadcaster Gary Cohen spoke about the incident during the team’s coverage of New York’s game against the Chicago Cubs.

“Let me just say one thing to Baltimore Orioles management – you draped yourself in humiliation when you fired [broadcaster] Jon Miller and you’re doing it again,” Cohen said on SNY. “And if you don’t want Kevin Brown, there are 29 other teams who do.

“It’s a horrendous decision by the Orioles. I don’t know what they were thing. But they got exactly the reaction that they deserve. It’s just a shame because the Orioles are playing so well and now they’ve diverted attention from that and now made themselves a laughing stock.”

A team official said Monday night that the Orioles don’t comment on personnel matters but were looking forward to having Brown back soon. A message was left with a MASN spokesman seeking comment.