How Stephen Nelson keeps it in perspective as Dodgers’ top radio voice
PHOENIX — With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 7 of last year’s World Series, Ernie Clement smacked a fly ball off Yoshinobu Yamamoto into the left-center-field gap with the bases loaded and the score tied.
As Andy Pages, just inserted in center field, ran over left fielder Kiké Hernández to make the catch, Dodgers play-by-play announcer Stephen Nelson summed up the high drama unfolding in front of him.
“Oh my gosh, we’re going to extra innings!” Nelson exclaimed on the Dodgers’ radio broadcast. “A Yamamoto miracle in the ninth! Rogers Centre in stunned silence!”
A couple of innings later, when Mookie Betts turned a game-ending double play, Nelson found himself calling the final outs of his second consecutive Dodgers World Series triumph.
“Broken bat, ground ball. Betts has it, steps on the bag, the throw to first — double play!” Nelson shouted. “From backs against the wall to back-to-back, the Dodgers cement their dynasty!”
Nelson’s calls have become a part of L.A.’s rich sports lore, which includes Vin Scully’s call of Kirk Gibson’s stunning home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series and Joe Davis’ call of Freddie Freeman’s walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series — a moment Nelson called as well on the radio.
When asked about his place in history last week during spring training at Camelback Ranch, Nelson demurred.
“I don’t really let myself think about it,” Nelson said, underscored by laughter. “I don’t have a very high opinion on myself or my work.”
Nelson, who turns 37 next month, joined the Dodgers before the 2023 season to back up Davis. Prior to that, the Southern California native hosted studio shows for the MLB and NHL networks and did play-by-play for both leagues.
“I kind of feel like I fell into a fire, and now I’m just trying to survive,” said Nelson, who begins his fourth season with the Dodgers as their lead radio play-by-play announcer.
A graduate of Marina High in Huntington Beach and Chapman University in Orange, Nelson readily understood the lineage of the booth, the standards that existed within the organization, even if he grew up rooting for the Chicago White Sox just like his father.
“All my cousins around the Southland… they all bleed Dodger blue,” he said. “I was coming home when I took this job in a couple of different senses.”
During his first year with the team, instead of being himself, he catered to what he felt the fans deserved from the person holding the mic. He said his new position gave him a feeling of impostor syndrome. As his first season progressed, Nelson leaned on the color analysts he worked with such as Eric Karros and the rest of the SportsNet LA crew to help restore some self-confidence.
Nelson still feels like he’s new to play-by-play. He compared his approach to the age-old athlete’s cliché of “just trying to get 1% better every day,” with the main goal being not ruining games for fans.
He started to get more comfortable with his job once he realized he doesn’t have to try to be Scully.
“Those are shoes that are impossible to fill,” Nelson said. “It’s actually made the job easier in a way, because I ain’t touching that bar.”
As he prepares for the new season, Nelson visits the clubhouse during spring training, trying to get to know the new guys and the prospects who are going to be the next wave. On top of that, the season previews put together by Rick Krajewski — “the doctor of research and stats,” as Nelson calls him — help him paint the picture for fans throughout the season.
Getting to call the last out in consecutive World Series championships, to be on the radios of people across L.A. during “the best game” he’s ever seen and to call a game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth inning of that World Series Game 7 is an unforgettable experience.
“This is a tremendous blessing,” Nelson said. “There are a thousand other broadcasters who are more experienced and certainly more talented and for whatever the reason, I’m here. And so I gotta earn that blessing.”
