A familiar voice will be absent from Game 3 of the National League Division Series. Play-by-play announcer Joe Davis will sit out the FOX broadcast after losing his voice.
Andrew Marchand of the Athletic first reported that Davis would be forced to sit out the call from Atlanta, adding that Davis is “day-to-day.”
“Kenny Albert will be on the call for Game 3 and of the Dodgers vs. Braves on Fox as Joe Davis is under the weather, The Athletic has learned,” Marchand wrote on social media.
Losing one’s voice is often the result of overuse, and typically requires only rest if there isn’t a viral or bacterial cause.
Joe Davis has drawn ire from Dodger haters
The break from Davis will be a welcome one to some Braves fans and those with rooting interests against the Dodgers.
In addition to his gig as the voice of FOX’s baseball coverage, Davis is also the go-to play-by-play announcer for Los Angeles Dodgers games on Spectrum SportsNet. This has led to some conspiratorial and sour-grapes complaints on social media about a perceived lack of enthusiasm for big play moments by the Atlanta Braves and bias toward the Dodgers.
This, of course, is nonsense.
National broadcast announcers across sport frequently have additional gigs that are supplemental to their national TV responsibilities. Davis’ replacement Kenny Albert himself is the television play-by-play man for the National Hockey League’s New York Rangers—he also covers NHL games for TNT.
Is it possible Davis has a rooting interest in the Dodgers? Yes. It’s possible.
But, as a journalist, and one of the most well-respected in the craft, Joe Davis has always been a consummate pro.
It’s also important to note that his career is his career. It’s work. Announcers might have teams that hold a special place for them, but at the end of the day, they aren’t fans like the people watching at home—it’s still a job.
Regardless of how you feel about Joe Davis the baseball announcer (personally I think he’s the best in the business), I wish him well and hope to hear him back on the call soon—if only to annoy rival baseball fans.
Game 3 of the NLDS begins at 3 p.m. at Truist Park in Atlanta. Game 4 will also be played in Georgia on Wednesday, while Game 5, if necessary, will return to Dodger Stadium on Friday, Oct. 9 at 5 p.m.
View the full schedule here.
For more stories like this, follow Dodgers Dynasty on Instagram and Facebook.
