Off Base Podcast and MLB Network Podcast to launch on MLB Network this season
March 13, 2025 - With Opening Day approaching, MLB Network announced it will debut two new weekly shows – Off Base Podcast and MLB Network Podcast – at the start of the 2025 MLB season. Leading into afternoon baseball, the 30-minute shows will air back-to-back on Sundays at 11 a.m. ET beginning March 30, the first weekend of the regular season. Following their on-air Sunday debuts, Off Base Podcast at 11 a.m. ET and MLB Network Podcast at 11:30 a.m. ET, the entire shows will be released digitally on podcast platforms for fans everywhere. Veteran host Lauren Gardner and former Major League first baseman and outfielder Xavier Scruggs will offer their fresh takes on the week in baseball through the Off Base Podcast, while the MLB Network Podcast presented by New Balance will feature entertaining and insightful conversations with people from all over the baseball world, including Hall of Famers, current players, former All-Stars and celebrity fans. To set the scene for the season, preview episodes of both MLB Network Podcast and Off Base Podcast will debut on MLB Network’s “Baseball Eve” – Wednesday, March 26, the day before Opening Day – at 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. ET, respectively.
Launched in 2022 as a linear-only daily show, the Off Base brand will now increase its reach as it evolves into a podcast-style program. Gardner and Scruggs, who were part of the show’s initial launch, will analyze the latest happenings in baseball with candid commentary. No stone will be left unturned, with Scruggs and Gardner analyzing everything from the play on the field, to the latest in baseball pop culture, fashion and food.
“I want Off Base Podcast to be the bridge between the generational gap in our pastime,” said Scruggs. “A place where longtime fans of the game unite with new media and modern enthusiasts of baseball.”
“From its inception, Off Base has felt like a family for all involved,” said Gardner. “We love bringing the fan perspective to the show while connecting with the players on their level. This project is my dream come true.”
Hosted by a variety of MLB Network broadcasters, the MLB Network Podcast presented by New Balance will feature engaging one-on-one interviews, aimed to unearth behind-the-scenes stories and anecdotes that fans crave. Debuting in 2024, full episodes and clips of the MLB Network Podcast were distributed digitally last year, with the likes of Hall of Famer Joe Mauer, former All-Star and World Series Champion Chili Davis, and Apollo and Fire from BBC’s Gladiators, all appearing. MLB.com’s Sarah Langs also discussed the power of ALS research, plus Harrison Bader joined from Yankee Stadium at the World Series to discuss the amazing run by the 2024 New York Mets.
“The MLB Network Podcast gives us and our guests a little bit more of a canvas to tell stories at a more natural pace,” said longtime MLB Network broadcaster Matt Vasgersian, who will host the 2025 debut episode on March 26. “It gives us an opportunity to throw out any preconceived ideas on where to take the next question, and it turns into as all good podcasts do, more of a warm visit compared to a structured interview. We stumbled into some really cool stuff with Chase Utley opening up about his first big league hit, which happened to be a grand slam, and former Mariner Mike Cameron discussing the first time Lou Piniella put eyes on the great Ichiro. You need a little more time to bring out these stories, which we’re just not able to do in a 90-second window. Some of the guests will just be so much more at ease in this weekly show, and they’ll respond just as positively as hopefully our viewers do.”
Following the March 26 episode, MLB Network Podcast on March 30 will welcome two-time Emmy winner, Academy Award nominee and director R.J. Cutler to discuss Apple TV+’s upcoming Fight For Glory: 2024 World Series, the first all-access docuseries exploring the incredible World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees. In addition to Off Base Podcast and MLB Network Podcast, MLB Network’s Play Ball program will continue to be released digitally everywhere for fans this season.
