ESPN announced it will nationally televise Wednesday’s matchup between the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium, with first pitch set for 7:10 p.m. PT.
Jessica Mendoza and Melanie Newman will be on the call as part of the network’s first all-female broadcast team during an MLB, NBA or NFL regular season or playoff telecast.
The duo additionally will make history as the first all-female broadcast team for a nationally televised MLB game.
Newman previously etched her name in the history books by becoming the first woman to call a regular season game for the Baltimore Orioles.
She also was part of MLB’s first all-female broadcast this past July, handling play-by-play duties for an exclusive YouTube broadcast of a contest between the Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.
Newman most recently called a game between the San Francisco Giants and Padres at Petco Park, alongside analyst Doug Glanville in the second part an ESPN doubleheader.
As for Mendoza, she has been a regular part of ESPN’s baseball coverage since joining the network over a decade ago and made history herself by becoming the first female analyst to call a nationally televised MLB playoff game in 2015.
Like Newman, Mendoza previously was featured on ESPN this week as she called Tuesday’s matchup between the Atlanta Braves and Padres alongside Mike Monaco. Mendoza will return to the booth on Sept. 28 for the series opener between the Dodgers and Padres.
Former Dodgers reporter Alanna Rizzo honored to be part of MLB history
In addition to Newman, MLB’s first all-female broadcast included analyst Sarah Langs, MLB Network’s Heidi Watney and Lauren Gardner, and former Dodgers reporter Alanna Rizzo.
“What was so funny about it was we all were asked to do it, or saw it on our schedules, and we didn’t know it was an all-female broadcast,” Rizzo told DodgerBlue.com at the time.
“I didn’t know it was an all-female broadcast until about four days before the game. I was asked by the MLB Network PR department for a quote, and I didn’t know why they wanted a quote. But then I realized it was that game with that crew, and was like, ‘Oh wow.’
“I don’t think I really recognized the moment until the day before and all of the interest the story was garnering with national media outlets. We have been on this media circuit for days now, which has been great. The response has been really positive, it’s been widely accepted and widely of interest to people.
“Once the game started, it was finally just baseball. That was the easiest part of the day — actually doing the game — just because of all the different directions we had been pulled in.
“The further away I get from the broadcast, the more I realize and appreciate how important it was and what a moment it was to honor and recognize. But also hoping it gets to the point where this is commonplace and nobody bats an eye at an all-female team.”
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