Padres broadcasters Don Orsillo and Mark Grant ranked best in MLB for second straight year

The Padres don’t get to hang a banner for this one, even though they probably should. Still, Padres fans can celebrate a championship repeat courtesy of the two men who narrate nearly every twist of the season. Don Orsillo and Mark Grant are sitting on top of the baseball broadcasting world again.

More than 9,300 respondents placed San Diego first in Awful Announcing’s 2026 MLB local broadcaster rankings. The Padres received a 3.07 score, with 52 percent of voters handing the crew an A and 88.1 percent grading it an A, B or C. The crew finished ahead of the Giants and Mets, while the Dodgers landed all the way down at No. 14. It’s totally fair to take a moment and appreciate being ahead of the Dodgers in something.

Don Orsillo and Mark Grant defend their MLB broadcasting crown

The Padres also topped the 2025 rankings, making this a legitimate back-to-back title for Orsillo, Grant and the rest of the broadcast crew. The raw score dropped from last year’s 3.47, but the voting pool grew substantially and the final verdict didn’t budge. The Friars still have baseball’s favorite local booth.

That shouldn’t surprise anyone who regularly watches Padres games. Orsillo can make an ordinary Tuesday feel important. Grant supplies the perfect counterweight. Mud can explain the nuances of the game, laugh at himself and turn lifeless games into something worth keeping the television on. The humor never feels manufactured, some say they’re a real “hoot.” It works because Orsillo and Grant clearly enjoy being around each other, and that chemistry reaches straight through the screen.

Plenty of broadcasters can handle a winning team. The real test comes during the dead spaces scattered across a 162-game season. That’s where Don and Mud separate themselves.

The recognition also extends beyond the lead pairing. Jesse Agler, Tony Gwynn Jr., Bob Scanlan and Mariluz Cook help give San Diego a deep, versatile broadcast operation. Gwynn continues to grow into his role, while Agler and Scanlan ensure the presentation remains strong whenever the regular lineup changes.

The Padres are still chasing the championship that matters most. Until they capture it, we’ll gladly claim this one.

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