A look back at Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow's legendary calls
Legendary San Francisco Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow announced on Thursday, April 6, that he’s calling it a career after 36 years in the booth. The voice of Giants baseball alongside his commentary partner Duane Kuiper, Krukow, 74, will retire at the end of the season.
The duo known as “Kruk and Kuip” have been a mainstay in the Bay Area over the past three decades that spanned some of the most memorable eras in the club’s history. They called three World Series runs and Barry Bonds’ road to surpassing Hank Aaron as MLB’s all-time home run king, and they did so in their own unique way.
The pair coined so many terms that The Athletic published an in-depth glossary with all of their iconic sayings, from “Bettina Bunge backhand” to “Yarrraaaarraaarrrarrrahhhaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh” (the sound someone makes when they get caught yawning on camera).
Krukow and Kuiper are so legendary together, that Ken Rosenthal openly advocated on Thursday for the Pro Baseball Hall of Fame to make an exception to its longstanding policy of only allowing broadcasters to be inducted into Cooperstown one at a time.
Kuiper told The Athletic he plans on continuing next season.
“I just want to let everyone know that I will be retiring at the end of the season. I want to take this time to thank you for your incredible support,” Krukow said in a statement released by the Giants. “Jennifer and I have been so blessed to be able to stay in the game for as long as we have and it’s really made it impossible to feel sorry for myself that my career is coming to an end.
“We are bracing for the emotional hits we know we are going to feel in the next few weeks. Jennifer and I are wondering if it is even possible to let everyone know how deeply we love and respect our Giants family. Our time together has been a gift. When Green Day asked, ‘I hope you’ve had the time of your lives,’ we certainly have.”
In honor of one of baseball’s biggest voices, here’s a look back at some of Krukow’s (and Kuiper’s) most memorable calls:
It’s trade deadline day in Major League Baseball, with some big names expected to be dealt in the hours, minutes and seconds leading up to the 6 p.m. ET deadline.
The Los Angeles Dodgers‘ trade for back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal further solidified the World Series champions as the favorites to win it all once again.
“I don’t think I’ve felt this good after getting swept,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after Sunday’s loss to the Boston Red Sox – who rode a wild winning streak into contention and should be involved in a deal or two ahead of the deadline.
Keep it here for the latest rumors and updates as the clock winds down:
Pirates set for Luke Weaver trade with Mets Pushing for their first postseason appearance in 11 years, the Pittsburgh Pirates are bolstering their bullpen with a trade for Luke Weaver. Weaver has a 1.84 ERA this season for the New York Mets, in the first year of a two-year, $22 million deal.
It’s trade deadline day in Major League Baseball, with some big names expected to be dealt in the hours, minutes and seconds leading up to the 6 p.m. ET deadline.
The Los Angeles Dodgers‘ trade for back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal further solidified the World Series champions as the favorites to win it all once again.
“I don’t think I’ve felt this good after getting swept,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after Sunday’s loss to the Boston Red Sox – who rode a wild winning streak into contention and should be involved in a deal or two ahead of the deadline.
Keep it here for the latest rumors and updates as the clock winds down:
Pirates set for Luke Weaver trade with Mets Pushing for their first postseason appearance in 11 years, the Pittsburgh Pirates are bolstering their bullpen with a trade for Luke Weaver. Weaver has a 1.84 ERA this season for the New York Mets, in the first year of a two-year, $22 million deal.
Red Sox trade for Adley
Rutschman In a stunning deal that marks the end of a failed rebuild in Baltimore, the Orioles are trading catcher Adley Rutschman to the Boston Red Sox Monday, Aug. 3, a rare intra-division deal for a three-time All-Star, ESPN first reported. Rutschman, 28, was the first overall pick in 2019, chosen over prep shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. as the OriolesÕ reward for a 115-loss season that prompted the hiring of now club president Mike Elias. Through two more 100-loss seasons, Elias continued collecting elite draftees and building what appeared to be a sustainable and potentially imposing youth movement.
Robbie Ray to Padres
The Giants are trading a former Cy Young winner within the NL West, sending Robbie Ray to the San Diego Padres in exchange for prospects Joniel Hernandez and Miguel Mendez.
Braves get Brent Suter
Atlanta landed left-handed pitcher Brent Suter in a trade with the Los Angeles Angels, sending infielder Nacho Alvarez Jr. to Southern California, the teams announced Monday morning.
Mets send Brooks Raley to Phillies
Brooks Raley has been traded from the Mets to the rival Phillies. The Mets are receiving outfielder John Spikerman and right-handed pitcher Luke Gabrysh in the deal. The move comes after the Mets also offloaded left-hander A.J. Minter to the Twins last Friday. Raley and Minter were the two likeliest trade candidates out of the Mets’ bullpen given their expiring deals. The Mets also traded Freddy Peralta to the Rays on Sunday and right-handed reliever Huascar Brazoban to the White Sox early Monday morning.
Luis Arraez to the Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are trading for three-time batting champion Luis Arraez and right-reliever Kaleb Kilian of the San Francisco Giants, a person with direct knowledge of the trade told USA TODAY Sports. The Giants will receive starter Ramon Marquez, the PhilliesÕ No. 4 prospect and reliever Marty Gair. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity since the trade has yet to be announced until physicals are complete. Arraez, a three-time All-Star, is hitting .324 this season with four homers, 47 RBIs and an .801 OPS. And although heÕs left-handed, he still rakes against lefties, hitting .315 with a .341 on-base percentage and .782 OPS. HeÕs exactly the type of hitter the Phillies are looking for, someone who is dramatically different than the rest of the slugging lineup they have in place. He has struck out just 21 times all season.
Blue Jays acquire Jose Soriano
Just one day after trading away staff ace Kevin Gausman, the Toronto Blue Jays have added a starting pitcher to take his place in the rotation. The Jays have acquired right-hander Jose Soriano from the Los Angeles Angels, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports. In exchange, the Angels receive shortstop prospect Arjun Nimmala, outfielder Eddie Micheletti and right-hander Angel Rivero. Nimmala is the Jays’ No. 2 overall prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, behind fellow shortstop JoJo Parker. The other two prospects aren’t among the Jays’ top 30.
Freddy Peralta experiment ends for Mets
It took David Stearns seven months to turn the No. 3 prospect in baseball into three players who don’t crack anybody’s top 100. In January, the Mets sent Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat to Milwaukee for Peralta and Tobias Myers. Williams was supposed to be part of the next contending Mets team. Instead, he’s a Brewer, Peralta is a Ray and New York is last in the National League East. Stearns opened these talks asking for a top-100 prospect and more. He got none. He gave away any leverage he had by scratching Peralta on Friday, signaling he was about to hold a fire sale.
White Sox land Luis Castillo
The Chicago White Sox didn’t have to prove they were legitimate playoff contenders, but they affirmed as much on Saturday when they acquired right-handed pitcher Luis Castillo from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for reliever Seranthony Dominguez, former outfield prospect Nolan Jones and catching prospect Boston Smith. Castillo, 33, was expendable in Seattle thanks to the Mariners’ deep rotation, a gaggle of majors-ready prospects and the $24.1 million salary he’s due in 2027. He also hasn’t performed particularly well this season, posting a 5.06 ERA in 20 appearances (17 starts) this season. Yet Castillo is a three-time former All-Star who finished fifth in 2023 AL Cy Young award voting and as recently as last season pitched 180 innings. He’ll add length to a White Sox rotation that thins out after No. 1 starter Sean Burke and No. 2 Davis Martin.
Cubs get Kevin Gausman
Kevin Gausman, 35, is 5-10 with a 4.38 ERA in 23 starts this season but has been one of the most consistent starters in baseball for the past half-decade, posting a 3.36 ERA from 2020-2025. A two-time All-Star, Gausman finished third in AL Cy Young voting in 2023. Toronto is receiving minor league outfielder Brett Bateman and infielder Ty Southisene in the trade. Gausman was stellar in the Blue Jays’ 2025 postseason run, ultimately losing in Game 7 of the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Gausman started five games and also got the win in relief in Game 7 of the ALCS.
Skubal trade had nothing to do with money
Tarik Skubal is a Dodger, and perhaps more significantly the avatar for All That Is Wrong With Baseball, he and his new team the whipping boys for a looming lockout whether or not L.A. wins a seemingly inevitable third consecutive World Series title. The Dodgers are kicking everyoneÕs behinds in every facet of the game: Drafting, player development, scouting (which includes assessing internal talent) and providing a workplace where players want to be.
Mets’ fire sale continues
While it’s not the magnitude of the Freddy Peralta trade, the New York Mets have dealt another pitcher. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported overnight that they’ve send hard-throwing reliever Huascar Brazoban to the Chicago White Sox for minor-league pitchers Gabe Davis and Zach Franklin.
, and we are World Champions’
Ok, technically this one isn’t a call, but it’s just as iconic as any other moment Krukow has had in the booth. At the Giants World Series parade on Oct. 31, 2012, Krukow took the mic and gave an unforgettable speech to the thousands of fans in front of City Hall to celebrate their team’s second title in three years.
On Aug. 7, 2007, Bonds swung on a payoff pitch from Mike Bacsik, sending it sailing into the San Francisco summer night. Kuiper and Krukow perfectly captured the intense fervor of Oracle Park (then known as AT&T Park) crowd as they witnessed history:
“Bonds hits one high! Hits it deeeeeeeep! It is… outta here! 756. Bonds stands alone.”
Back in June this season when the “tarps off” trend of fans taking off their shirts was at its peak, Giants rookie Bryce Eldridge came to the plate with the bases loaded and San Francisco trailing the Washington Nationals 10-7 in the bottom of the ninth.
“It may be more than ‘tarps off’ if Eldridge knocks one out of here,” Kuip quipped.
Krukow responded, “I’m gonna hold you to it. Time to drop trou, hog out.”
Eldridge indeed walked it off with a grand slam that cleared the wall in right field to complete a comeback from a 9-1 deficit.
Two days later, Krukow explained the origin behind that phrase in an interview with Brian Murphy and Markus Boucher on KNBR.
“Most of what I’ve ever used on the show, during the game, is just vernacular that’s in the clubhouse, something that you heard along the way and all of a sudden, it just seems like it was appropriate,” Krukow told Murphy and Boucher. “Now, I don’t know if that was appropriate.
“Back in the day, when we had ‘kangaroo court,’ that was one of the fines. Games over and you have a big [food] spread in the middle of the clubhouse and everybody has a bite to eat. That’s when you have your meal. And guys are going in and out of the shower. Well, if you go from your locker and you’re heading to the shower and you’ve got nothing on and you walk by the spread and you reach over and grab a piece of salami or something, that’s a fine. The fine is ‘drop trou, hog out,’ that’s 50 bucks. Some guys would go to the shower and they’d get fined, well, at least they’d get written down. Then they’d come back and do it again.
“So, dropping trou and hogging out had to do with how you approached the spread after a game, but it kind of found its way into the game on Wednesday and it just felt appropriate. That’s all I can say.”
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