Michael Kay, YES Network pay tribute to John Sterling

Longtime New York Yankees radio voice John Sterling passed away at the age of 87 on Monday. Tributes have poured in for the legendary announcer, who called 5,060 consecutive Yankees games and retired abruptly in 2024 (before returning to call Yankees postseason games that year).

Ahead of Monday night’s game against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees honored Sterling with a video tribute and followed that with a moment of silence. YES Network play-by-play announcer Michael Kay and longtime broadcast partner Suzyn Waldman placed flowers at home plate.

Yankees baseball and John Sterling. Inseparable.

Watch as the Yankees honor Sterling’s life and legacy ahead of Orioles vs. Yankees. pic.twitter.com/jqvCKS7Wty

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) May 4, 2026

And here’s how Kay opened the YES Network broadcast alongside color commentator David Cone:

Michael Kay: “We’re honoring the life and tremendous career of John Sterling. We’ll do more of that as the (Yankees) game moves on. But you know, David, he’d probably be angry with us. He’d say, ‘There’s a game going on, so talk about that.’ So, we’re gonna do that for John.” pic.twitter.com/1ZLpF1T1tI

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 4, 2026

“Hello everybody, and welcome to Yankees baseball,” Kay said. “Along with David Cone, I’m Michael Kay. You’ve been hearing on the YES Network the last couple of hours; we’re honoring the life and tremendous career of John Sterling. We’ll do more of that as the game moves on. But you know, David, he’d probably be angry with us. He’d say, ‘There’s a game going on, so talk about that.’ So, we’re gonna do that for John.”

In the first inning, Yankees superstar Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer, and Kay went with Sterling’s home run call for Judge on the play-by-play.

“It is high! It is far! It is GONE! Aaron Judge! A Judgian blast! Here comes the Judge!”

Michael Kay with the John Sterling tribute call on an Aaron Judge home run in the first inning. #MLBpic.twitter.com/wzf4MVthCM

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 4, 2026

“It is high! It is far! It is GONE! Aaron Judge! A Judgian blast! Here comes the Judge!”

That’s a beautiful tribute to Sterling from Kay.

The YES Network broadcast showed the players and fans honoring Sterling.

JS pic.twitter.com/ODvqpBSGJm

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) May 4, 2026

The bleachers paying tribute to John Sterling #YANKSonYESpic.twitter.com/Pa5EuPIa9h

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) May 4, 2026

And here’s a look at some more of the Sterling tribute coverage from YES Network throughout the day:

.@RealMichaelKay joins @M_Marakovits to share how he will remember his colleague and friend, John Sterling. pic.twitter.com/2ZZ9wkkGLn

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) May 4, 2026

“Just be ready for anything.”@RealMichaelKay highlights the biggest things he’s picked up from John Sterling over the course of his career. pic.twitter.com/otQcgOgGBx

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) May 4, 2026

“He did everything he wanted in this world.”

Suzyn Waldman celebrates the life of John Sterling with @M_Marakovits. pic.twitter.com/ecpxaZC94B

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) May 4, 2026

“He’s a legend! What more can you say about John Sterling?”@dcone36 and @M_Marakovits discuss the life and legacy of the iconic broadcaster. pic.twitter.com/MFGMadf3ch

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) May 4, 2026

“He brought that New York theatre to the ballpark.”

Aaron Judge discusses John Sterling’s legacy. pic.twitter.com/qiM3PDyfby

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) May 4, 2026

“I’m a better person for having known him.”

– @dcone36 on John Sterling. pic.twitter.com/ldOemMjz3F

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) May 4, 2026

The post Michael Kay, YES Network pay tribute to John Sterling appeared first on Awful Announcing.