Before Monday night’s series opener between the Yankees and Mariners, Dave Sims had never called a game from the visitors’ radio booth at T-Mobile Park.
For the past 18 years, he had always been stationed in the home broadcast booths, working on either radio or television.
“We circled this trip on the calendar as soon as I signed the deal. ‘When’s the Seattle trip?’” Sims said before the game. “We’ve been really looking forward to it.”
At 72, Sims returned to the stadium he called home for nearly two decades — but this time as the Yankees’ radio play-by-play announcer. After a long run with the Mariners, Sims joined the Yankees this offseason, stepping into the role formerly held by the legendary John Sterling.
During his time with Seattle, Sims primarily worked on TV broadcasts, with occasional radio appearances. Now, he’s fully transitioned to radio with the Yankees, teaming up with longtime broadcaster Suzyn Waldman.
“I feel like I’ve found my rhythm. I love doing radio,” Sims said. “TV’s great, but with radio I have more control over the narrative. Suzyn handles the pregame beautifully — she’s a legend, knows everyone, and we’re totally in sync.”
Sims’ return to New York is a homecoming of sorts. Originally from Philadelphia, he began his career in the city with the New York Daily News, then moved into broadcasting. He hosted a midday show on WFAN from 1989 to 1993, worked with the Knicks’ radio team, and anchored sports on the local CBS affiliate. He also lived in New York during baseball offseasons.
“I love Seattle, and my wife especially does. If this opportunity hadn’t been in New York, I probably wouldn’t have left,” Sims said.
Sims became a familiar voice for Mariners fans starting in 2007, known for his signature calls like “Hey now!” and “Giddy up, baby!” He said some longtime West Coast fans have followed him to Yankees broadcasts, along with those who remember him from his WFAN days.
He even skipped the Yankees’ weekend series in West Sacramento against the Athletics — a veteran move — to spend a few extra days with his family in Seattle.
Ballpark upgrades on the horizon
Fans can expect an improved in-game experience at T-Mobile Park in 2026, as the Mariners are planning to replace the 12-year-old center field videoboard—pending approval from the Public Facilities District (PFD), which manages stadium operations.
The proposed project, called “MarinersVision,” involves a $9 million investment to install a new videoboard ahead of the 2026 season. Mariners COO Trevor Gooby presented the plan during Monday’s PFD meeting. The board would be the same size as the current one but will feature updated technology and be provided by Daktronics. The upgrade would begin after the 2025 season, pending a formal green light from the PFD this September.
Gooby also outlined another major improvement: a phased replacement of some stadium elevators and escalators over the next two offseasons—also subject to approval.
A smaller but intriguing agenda item was a $200,000 line item for a possible statue, potentially linked to a Baseball Hall of Fame induction this summer.
“We’ll have an announcement on that in the future,” Gooby said during the meeting.
Thornton’s Recovery
Reliever Trent Thornton returned to the Mariners’ clubhouse Monday following an emergency appendectomy last Thursday. Thornton said he had felt off during the series in Sacramento against the Athletics, initially thinking it was just a cramp. But after waking up in intense pain Thursday morning, he contacted the training staff and had his appendix removed that same day.
Thornton is currently waiting for clearance to resume throwing. GM Justin Hollander indicated last week that while there’s no official timeline, Thornton is expected to be sidelined for about three weeks.
