Legendary announcer René Cárdenas, the first Spanish-language broadcaster in MLB history, dead at 96

Legendary announcer René Cárdenas, the first Spanish-language broadcaster in MLB history, dead at 96

Long-time MLB announcer René Cárdenas died Sunday. He was 96.

Both the Los Angeles Dodgers, Houston Astros and National Baseball Hall of Fame paid homage to Cárdenas, with the Astros calling him a “true legend and pioneer in broadcasting.”

The Dodgers also honored Cárdenas in a post on X on Sunday evening.

Cárdenas and the Dodgers have an intertwined history. Shortly after the team moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, Cárdenas was hired as its Spanish-language announcer. It marked the first time in MLB history that a Spanish-language announcer called games for a team.

Cárdenas accomplished a number of firsts over his lengthy MLB career. In 1959, he “was part of the first Spanish broadcast of the World Series,” per the Associated Press. Two years later, he was part of the first Spanish broadcast of the MLB All-Star Game.

A few years after being hired by the Dodgers, Cárdenas left to serve the same role with the Colt 45s — which went on to become the Astros. He spent over a decade in that role. After spending time in Nicaragua, Cárdenas returned to the United States to call Texas Rangers games. He eventually returned to Dodgers broadcasts from 1982 to 1998.

Cárdenas briefly returned to the Astros in 2007. In 2008, he appeared on a handful of television broadcasts for the team.

Cárdenas was honored by the franchise in 2024, when it inducted him in the team Hall of Fame. Cárdenas has also been a finalist for the Ford C. Frick award, which is awarded annually for broadcasting excellence, though he has not won the award.