Beloved Tigers voice Jason Benetti linked to bold new MLB opportunity

The White Sox have done a lot of embarrassing and questionable things over the past few years that the Tigers have directly benefitted from, but one of the best might be letting play-by-play announcer Jason Benetti get away.

Benetti, a lifelong White Sox fan and the south side's main commentator from 2016 through 2023, left after reports of a "contentious relationship" with executive Brooks Boyer to join the division rival Tigers.

In the two seasons since, the Tigers have turned into an actual contender who Benetti clearly enjoys calling, and Tigers fans love him right back. Before Benetti, Tigers broadcasts were unbearably sleepy; with Benetti, they had the energy and vibrancy to match the team.

He's taken his talents to other booths before and since joining the Tigers but, per The Athletic, he's the leading candidate to call NBC's upcoming slate of Sunday Night Baseball games.

Tigers' Jason Benetti reportedly NBC's favorite to take on Sunday Night Baseball coverage

The rights to Sunday Night Baseball switched hands from ESPN to NBC last year, after ESPN opted out of their longstanding deal. NBC will get 25 Sunday Night Baseball games, 18 Sunday Leadoff games, and a wide slate of other special event and postseason tentpoles, including every Wild Card game.

It doesn't seem like there's any reason for Tigers fans to worry that it'll take him away from the booth in Detroit permanently — and even when he's unavailable, the legendary Dan Dickerson will likely be deputized to move from radio to TV in Benetti's absence. It's impossible to complain about that.

It's a huge win for Benetti but also for the Tigers as a whole. Hiring him was a genius move, and a team that finally has some life and verve now has a voice to match. If he does get the NBC job, hopefully the Tigers will be featured in a couple of next year's Sunday Night games, and fans will get our usual Benetti-Detroit combo in primetime.