America wants more Darren Fletcher.
The TNT Sports announcer earned rave reviews for his call of the game-ending double play that sealed the Mets’ 6-5 win over the Phillies on Sunday in London.
Fletcher, a soccer announcer, provided an absolutely exhilarating call of Drew Smith inducing a weak grounder from Nick Castellanos that catcher Luis Torres managed to turn into a double play.
“Smith against Castellanos, wants to take his time and who could blame him under the circumstances?” Fletcher said to set the scene, as Smith readied himself with the bases loaded and one out. “He must be feeling so much pressure out there. Not the closer by any stretch of the imagination, that’s Edwin Diaz, it’s a closer by committee, he’s the man today with the pressure on his shoulders…”
And then Fletcher made magic as Castellanos tapped the ball in front of the plate.
“…and Castellanos’ bat explodes and they’re going to get the runner at home, they’re going to get the double play to win the game! What an end! The shattered bat, the runner out at home plate and the ball fired into the glove of the first baseman, Pete Alonso, and the New York Mets somehow withstand the Phillies’ rally and they win Game 2 in London, 6-5.
“Seventeen hits, what drama, what a game, what a finish.”
Fans flocked to X to praise the call.
“Epic play. Epic commentary. Get this guy a gig for an MLB team,” one user tweeted.
Another posted: “Wow @DFletcherSport you absolutely nailed this! @SNY have a listen to this…I love Gary, always will but Darren does an amazing job here, completely captured how this felt in the stadium! 😍 #LondonSeries.”
“More British baseball broadcasts, please and thank you. This is incredible,” an X user noted.
Fletcher thanked the fans on X for the positive comments.
“Thanks for all the amazing comments – had a blast commenting on the @MLB games in London this weekend 👍🏻,” he wrote in a quote tweet.
Yankees play-by-player Michael Kay called the game for ESPN with Doug Glanville and Tim Kurkjian.
