Fox play-by-play broadcaster Joe Davis is returning from the “injured list” on Sunday, Oct. 11th, calling Game 1 of the NLCS between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers.
Why Davis missed two games
Fox Sports PR announced that Davis will indeed be on the call for Game 1, marking a return to the booth after missing two dates.
Davis missed Games 3 and 4 of the NLDS between the Dodgers and Atlanta Braves after feeling under the weather and losing his voice.
Kenny Albert stepped in for Davis as the play-by-play broadcaster for Game 3, while Atlanta Braves announcer Brandon Gaudin filled in for Game 4.
Joe Davis’ Dodgers history
He is Fox’s top baseball play-by-play man, pairing with lead analyst John Smoltz.
Davis also serves as the main man for Sportsnet LA, calling games for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a rotation that includes Stephen Nelson.
He also appears in Fox’s NFL coverage, serving as a supporting member of the broadcast crew and covering games when available.
Davis has taken over for the legendary Joe Buck in the Fox broadcast booth, and the industry has long viewed him as a rising star.
However, that hasn’t stopped criticism over perceived bias when he calls Fox games featuring the Dodgers.
The Joe Davis backlash
When Tarik Skubal allowed a home run in the top of the sixth inning of Game 1 of the NLDS, opposing fans quickly called out what they thought was a muted home-run call.
Davis won an Emmy for his play-by-play work last year, and his continued growth within the Fox stable suggests these accusations won’t affect him much.
Additionally, the media personality tends to ignore the noise and perception already.
“I know the perception that’s going to be out there with anybody that does games nationally,” Davis told The Athletic in an interview. “I think it’s heightened when the team that I cover has been the team that’s won the last couple. I totally get it.
“You tend to hear it from both sides when you’re covering your team on a national broadcast because you have the fans of the other team that are mad that you’re the voice of the Dodgers. And the Dodger fans — some of them get upset that they hear me getting more excited for the other team.
“So you really can’t win in that situation, and because of that, for me to spend any time worrying about it, reading it, thinking about it — it’s a waste of energy.”
