WFAN names regular fill-in for John Sterling in Yankees booth
Yankees radio broadcaster John Sterling poses for a photograph prior to a game between the Yankees and the Mets at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 4, 2016. Credit: Jim McIsaac
John Sterling is scheduled to call approximately 130 Yankees games this season on WFAN, the station’s parent company, Audacy, announced on Thursday in naming his new regular full-in, Justin Shackil.
Sterling, who will turn 85 on July 4, and Suzyn Waldman, 76, have been the Yankees’ lead radio team since 2005. Sterling cut back significantly on his travel schedule in the second half of last season and will continue to pick his spots in 2023. Shackil, one of the fill-ins for Sterling last season, will be his regular fill-in this year in addition to doing postgame reports, a job previously held by Sweeny Murti, who left the station.
“As someone who made listening, watching and attending Yankee games a major part of their youth, receiving the opportunity to join John and Suzyn in the WFAN radio booth is certainly the 'pinch-me' moment of my baseball broadcasting career,” Shackil said in a news release. “I'm grateful to Audacy for this chance, and to the Yankees for trusting me and expanding my role with an organization I value so highly.”
WFAN's Justin Shackil. Credit: Audacy
Shackil also will serve as a reporter for select games on the YES Network.
A New Jersey native and Fordham graduate, he previously handled various duties for Yankees Productions and currently hosts the "Toeing the Slab" podcast with David Cone. Outside of baseball, Shackil serves as a blow-by-blow announcer for Matchroom Boxing events on DAZN, hosted and provided play-by-play for NBA TV International and anchored Olympics coverage for Westwood One Radio.
“Justin is no stranger to the Bronx and his passion for the pinstripes make him the ideal person to join the iconic duo of John and Suzyn in the booth,” Audacy executive Chris Oliviero said in a news release. “His contributions to the broadcast last season were terrific and well received, so we're excited to see him return in this enhanced role.”
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
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