You’re stuck in 405 traffic. The sun is setting over the Sepulveda Pass, turning the sky that weird hazy purple, and the only thing keeping you from losing your mind is the radio. That crack of the bat followed by the roar of the Ravine—it’s a specific kind of magic. Listening to Los Angeles Dodgers play by play isn’t just about tracking balls and strikes. It’s a multi-generational ritual.
Baseball is slow. People complain about that all the time, but for radio, that slowness is a gift. It gives the announcers room to breathe, to tell stories, and to paint a picture that a grainy television screen sometimes misses. When you hear the play-by-play, you aren't just getting data points. You're getting the texture of the grass and the tension in the pitcher’s shoulder.
The Ghost of Vin Scully and the New Era
Let's be real. You can't talk about the Dodgers without mentioning Vin. He was the gold standard for sixty-seven years. He didn't just call games; he whispered them into our ears like a friend sharing a secret. When he retired in 2016, there was this massive, terrifying void. Who could possibly fill those shoes?
Joe Davis stepped into the booth, and honestly, he nailed it. He didn't try to be Vin 2.0. That would have been a disaster. Instead, Davis brought a modern, high-energy rhythm that pairs perfectly with Orel Hershiser’s "Bulldog" analytical brain. Their chemistry is the backbone of the current Los Angeles Dodgers play by play experience on SportsNet LA. They balance the "new school" analytics—launch angles, exit velocity, all that math—with the "old school" feel of a summer afternoon at the park.
Then you have the radio side. Charley Steiner and Rick Monday. Monday’s voice sounds like baseball history itself. When he describes a high fly ball drifting toward the warning track, you can almost feel the wind shifting. It’s comforting. It’s familiar. It feels like home even if you’re miles away from Chavez Ravine.
Digital vs. Analog: Where to Catch the Action
If you're trying to find the Los Angeles Dodgers play by play today, it’s a bit of a maze compared to the old days of just turning a dial.
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- Television: Spectrum SportsNet LA is the primary home. If you don't have Spectrum, you’re basically looking at DirectTV or a streaming pivot like FuboTV. It’s a point of contention for many fans in the local market who feel "blacked out" from their own team.
- Radio: AM 570 KLAC is the flagship. This is where the legends live. There is something fundamentally "LA" about hearing a game through the slight static of an AM signal while driving through a canyon.
- Spanish Language: You cannot ignore KTNQ 1020 AM. Pepe Yñiguez and Jose Mota (who took over after the legendary Jaime Jarrín retired) provide a level of passion that is arguably unmatched in the English booths. The "Fernandomania" era cemented the importance of the Spanish broadcast, and it remains a cornerstone of the Dodgers' identity.
- Streaming: The MLB app is the go-to for out-of-market fans. You get the choice of home or away feeds, which is great if you want to hear how the "other side" reacts to a Shohei Ohtani moonshot.
Why Accuracy Matters in the Booth
Radio guys have it the hardest. If a TV announcer misses a play, the camera catches it anyway. If a radio announcer misses a play, it didn't happen for the listener. They have to be precise.
Accuracy in Los Angeles Dodgers play by play means more than just saying "it's a hit." It means knowing that the shortstop shifted three steps to the left before the pitch. It means noting that the pitcher is sweating through his jersey in the third inning. These details create the mental image.
The complexity of the modern game adds a layer of difficulty. We have the "pitch clock" now. The game moves faster. Announcers have less time to tell those sprawling stories about a player’s childhood or what they ate for lunch. They’ve had to tighten up their delivery. You’ll notice Joe Davis often speaks in shorter, punchier bursts during high-leverage moments. It matches the new tempo of the sport.
The Shohei Factor and Global Play by Play
When the Dodgers signed Shohei Ohtani, the demand for Los Angeles Dodgers play by play exploded globally. It wasn't just Southern California listening anymore. Tokyo was tuning in.
This shifted the dynamic. Suddenly, the broadcasters weren't just talking to folks in Glendale or Santa Monica. They were explaining the nuances of Dodger tradition to a global audience. The broadcast teams had to lean into the "superstar" narrative while maintaining the "team-first" culture that the Dodgers pride themselves on.
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It’s a tightrope walk. You don't want to ignore the other twenty-five guys on the roster, but you also know why people are clicking the "Listen Live" button. The way the play-by-play teams have handled the Ohtani era—focusing on the sheer physics of his play rather than just the hype—shows a lot of professional restraint.
The Technical Grind Behind the Scenes
Behind the voices, there’s a small army of producers and engineers. They are the ones feeding stats to the announcers via "the bug"—that little screen that shows real-time data.
- The Statistician: Usually sits right behind the lead announcer. They’re flipping through massive binders or high-speed databases to find out that Mookie Betts hasn't struck out on a 3-2 count against a lefty in three weeks.
- The Audio Engineer: They balance the "crowd noise." If the crowd is too loud, you can't hear the analysis. Too quiet, and the game feels dead. They ride the faders like a musical performance.
- The Field Mics: Ever wonder why you can hear the "thwack" of the ball so clearly? There are parabolic microphones pointed at home plate. It’s the play-by-play for your ears, not just your brain.
Common Misconceptions About the Broadcast
People think being a play-by-play announcer is just "watching the game and talking."
Kinda. But not really.
It’s prep. Hours and hours of it. Most of these guys arrive at the stadium four or five hours before first pitch. They’re talking to managers, checking injury reports, and studying the opposing team’s bullpen. They create "spotting boards"—large, hand-written or printed charts with player numbers, stats, and phonetic pronunciations.
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Another misconception is that they’re all "homers." While they are employed by the team or the team’s network, the best Los Angeles Dodgers play by play announcers call it down the middle when the team plays poorly. Fans can smell a fake. If the bullpen blows a four-run lead, the announcer has to reflect that frustration. They are the emotional proxy for the fan base.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Listening Experience
If you really want to dive into the world of Dodgers baseball, don't just watch the screen. Try the "sync" method.
Mute the TV and turn on the radio. There’s often a delay, which can be annoying, but if you can get them to line up (sometimes via a digital stream delay), it’s the ultimate way to experience the game. You get the high-def visuals of the TV and the descriptive, soulful narration of the radio crew.
Also, pay attention to the "color" commentator—the person sitting next to the play-by-play lead. In the Dodgers' case, guys like Orel Hershiser or Eric Karros provide the why. The play-by-play tells you what happened; the color guy tells you why it happened. Why did the pitcher throw a slider there? Why was the runner tagging up on a shallow fly? That’s where the real education happens.
Actionable Steps for the Dedicated Fan
If you're looking to follow every pitch this season, here is how you stay connected without missing a beat:
- Download the MLB App: Even if you don't pay for the video package, the "At Bat" audio subscription is cheap and gives you access to every single Dodgers radio broadcast without blackout restrictions.
- Follow the Broadcasters on Social Media: Joe Davis and others often post "behind the scenes" photos of their spotting boards or notes. It’s a great way to see the sheer amount of work that goes into a three-hour broadcast.
- Check the Schedule for National Broadcasts: Remember that when the Dodgers are on ESPN or FOX, the local Los Angeles Dodgers play by play team usually gets bumped for the national crew. It's a different vibe—often more "broad strokes" and less "inside baseball."
- Listen to the Post-Game Show: On AM 570, the post-game show is where the raw emotion of the fans comes out. It’s a great way to gauge the temperature of the city after a big win or a tough loss.
The broadcast is the heartbeat of the season. Whether it’s a random Tuesday in May or Game 7 in October, the voices in the booth are the ones who chronicle the journey. They turn a game of inches into a saga of miles. Keep your ears open and your radio tuned in.