Dodgers share unfortunate news on first full-time Spanish broadcaster
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Dodgers share unfortunate news on first full-time Spanish broadcaster originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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On Sunday, the Los Angeles Dodgers shared unfortunate news about René Cárdenas. The first full-time broadcaster in MLB history passed away at the age of 96 due to cancer.
The franchise released the following statement on their social media platform:
"We mourn the passing of René Cárdenas, who in 1958 with the Dodgers became the first full-time Spanish-language broadcaster in MLB history and would ultimately spend 21 years behind the mic for Los Angeles. We send our condolences to his loved ones."
We mourn the passing of René Cárdenas, who in 1958 with the Dodgers became the first full-time Spanish-language broadcaster in MLB history and would ultimately spend 21 years behind the mic for Los Angeles. We send our condolences to his loved ones.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 11, 2026
Tributes were made to the Spanish broadcaster by
Fellow sports broadcaster Jaime Jarrin and Francisco Romero paid their tributes to Cardenas:
“Rene was a true pioneer in our industry,” Jarrin said. “He played a predominant role in my start as a baseball broadcaster.”
“Today, baseball lost a historic voice,” Romero said. “René Cárdenas passed away ... leaving behind an unforgettable legacy in Spanish-language sports broadcasting."
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More about René Cárdenas and his baseball legacy
Cardenas started broadcasting for the Dodgers in 1958 and for the next 21 years, he remained a constant presence behind the mic. He also called games for the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers. The Astros added him to their Hall of Fame in 2024.
Cardenas was born in Managua, Nicaragua, in the La Bolsa neighborhood. He got into sports journalism at the age of 16. When the Dodgers moved from Brooklyn to LA, he was the one who convinced them to start Spanish broadcasting so as to connect the game with a wider range of audiences.
The beloved Spanish broadcaster was a Hall of Fame candidate in 2011, 2012, 2024, and 2025. However, he was not inducted. The New York Times described his legacy as “a voice that should be in Cooperstown.”
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