With the lockout over and Opening Day set for three weeks from today, MLB Network is bolstering its roster of analysts and studio hosts.
On Thursday, the network announced the hiring of hosts AJ Andrews, Keiana Martin, and Siera Santos, along with analysts Ruben Amaro Jr and Bo Porter.
Per a release, Andrews will take over as the host of Play Ball, the network’s weekend kids-centric programming. Martin and Santos will work as hosts across MLB Network’s programming, including on Quick Pitch and Big Inning (the whiparound show that premiered last year, available on MLB.TV and Apple TV+). Andrews is a former college softball player at LSU who has worked as a host for various platforms. Martin has worked as the San Francisco 49ers team reporter over the last five years, also hosting related programming on NBC Sports Bay Area. Santos is a former sports anchor in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Phoenix, and worked as a White Sox beat reporter and studio host for NBC Sports Chicago.
Amaro, the former Phillies GM (among various other roles), joined NBC Sports Philadelphia as a Phillies analyst in February of 2020, a role he’ll retain this year. Former Astros manager Porter worked as a guest analyst for MLB Network back in 2014, and was a Nationals analyst on MASN in 2019 and 2020.
The hiring of more studio hosts seemed necessary after some attrition over the offseason. In November, Alexa Datt left MLB Network to join Bally Sports Midwest, while long-time Quick Pitch host Heidi Watney tweeted that she had moved back to California, and would soon be sharing her next role in the baseball world.
About Joe Lucia
I hate your favorite team. I also sort of hate most of my favorite teams.