The Los Angeles Dodgers announced the passing of René Cárdenas, the first full-time Spanish-language broadcaster in Major League Baseball history, who died at age 96 after a battle with cancer. The team shared the sad news on their social media channels on Sunday.
The franchise released a statement: “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.”
Fellow sports broadcasters Jaime Jarrín and Francisco Romero paid tribute to Cárdenas. “Rene was a true pioneer in our industry,” Jarrín said. “He played a predominant role in my start as a baseball broadcaster.”
“Today, baseball lost a historic voice,” Romero added. “René Cárdenas passed away … leaving behind an unforgettable legacy in Spanish-language sports broadcasting.”
Cárdenas began broadcasting for the Dodgers in 1958 and remained a constant presence behind the microphone for the next 21 years. He also called games for the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers, and was inducted into the Astros Hall of Fame in 2024.
Born in the La Bolsa neighborhood of Managua, Nicaragua, Cárdenas entered sports journalism at age 16. When the Dodgers moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, he convinced the team to start Spanish-language broadcasts to connect with a broader audience. His pioneering work helped bridge the game with Latino fans across the country.
The beloved broadcaster was a Hall of Fame candidate in 2011, 2012, 2024, and 2025, though he was never inducted. The New York Times once described his legacy as “a voice that should be in Cooperstown,” underscoring the indelible mark he left on baseball broadcasting.