ESPN confirmed this afternoon a Sporting Newsexclusive that it https://www.oriolesedge.com/baltimore-orioles/cal-ripken-jersey is hiring Alex Rodriguez and Matt Vasgersian of Fox Sportsfor “Sunday Night Baseball.”The duowill joinreturning analyst Je sica Mendoza and reporter Buster Olney and make theirbroadcast team debut March 29 for the Dodgers-Giants game.The unique talent-sharing arrangement will see Rodriguez in the booth forESPN’s exclusive Sunday Night MLB game of the week during the regular season and in the studio for Fox as an analyst during the postseason and World Series. I’m looking forward to this new chapter in my broadcasting career,” said Rodriguez in a statement i sued by ESPN. “It’s an exciting time in baseball and now I get that front row seat to tell that story everySunday nighton ESPN as well as calling my fourth postseason on Fox, where I started this journey. Despite sharing World Series champion withESPN, Fox Sports is extending A-Rod’s contract, according to John Entz, executive producer andpresident of production.”We are pleased to extend our relationship with Alex for the next four years as a key voice in our all- https://www.oriolesedge.com/baltimore-orioles/kevin-gausman-jersey star lineup of baseball minds on our MLB pre and post game shows in October, said Entz in a statement.ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” analyst chair opened up whenformer Yankees third baseman Aaron Boone became manager of the Bronx Bombers. Just like 2004, it’s A-Rod who’s succeeding Boone, except this time it’s in the ESPN broadcast booth rather than the hot corner at Yankee Stadium.Rodriguez will alsoappear in several upcoming networkspecials, while also serving as executive producer, according to ESPN.”We’re excited about the potential for this team and we’re appreciative to our MLB Network and Fox Sports counterparts, as all parties were more than willing to collaborate in order to serve Major League Baseball fans,” said Stephanie Druley, ESPN’ssenior vice president, events and studio production, in a statement.What a difference a few years makes.The chance to work for not one, but two MLB broadcasters marks a remarkable turnaround for A-Rod. Only four yearsago, the confe sed steroids user was damaged goods. But he rehabilitated his publicimage via his informative and entertainingTV work for Fox, showing off a self-deprecating sense of humor that believed his spoiled diva image. His high-profile romance with superstar Jennifer Lopez has made them the sports/music “It” couple of the moment.The relationship became po sible, said media sources close to Fox,after ESPN parent Disney agreed to pay $60 billion to acquire most of21st Century Fox’s a sets, including regional sports networks such as YES Network in New York. But sources close to ESPN said that the proposed Disney-Fox marriage didn’t play a role in the A-Rod hire.”It’s a brave new world with Fox sharing talent,” said one source familiar with the initial talks.Sporting News broke the news ESPN was trying to lure A-Rod on Jan. 6. Ryan Gla spiegel Darren O’Day Jersey of The Big Lead first reported ESPN was interested in hiringVasgersian.