Just last week, ESPN drew attention after laying off more than 10 employees, including longtime anchor and broadcaster Karl Ravech after 33 years with the network.
However, viewers noticed Ravech on Thursday night’s ESPN broadcast of the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals alongside Eduardo Perez.
The supposedly laid off Karl Ravech is in the booth calling Braves-Nationals for ESPN tonight 🤨 pic.twitter.com/HieiM61kgE
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) July 30, 2026
Was Ravech Actually Laid Off?
Yes. Reports from last week were accurate. However, The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand explained why Ravech remains on the air.
According to Marchand, ESPN gave Ravech the option to continue calling games and events through the end of the summer because the MLB season is still underway, and he accepted.
Ravech will call Thursday night’s game, work a Yankees broadcast in August, and return for the Little League World Series, one of his longtime assignments.
“Karl Ravech is calling the Braves-Nationals for ESPN tonight,” Marchand shared. “He has still been laid off. Since it is in-season, Ravech was given the option to work some more summer dates and has chosen to do that, according to a source. He is expected to work the Little League World Series, as well as a Yankee game in August.”
ESPN’s Full Layoffs
ESPN parted ways with several popular personalities, including NFL analyst Ryan Clark, whose departure generated the most discussion because of how it unfolded.
The network also moved on from former NFL MVP Cam Newton after just one year as a contributor on Stephen A. Smith’s “First Take.”
Along with Clark, Newton, and Ravech, ESPN also let go of Tom Pelissero, David Lloyd, Stephania Bell, Bart Scott, Andreas Hale, Charles Davis, and Dan Hajducky.
Why Is Karl Ravech Still Calling ESPN’s Braves-Nationals Game After Being Laid Off?