MLB is hardly new to announcers’ gaffes. Announcer slip-ups are practically a tradition – some harmless, some hilarious, and a few that spiral into unexpected controversy. It’s all part of the unpredictability that comes with live broadcasting. But ever so often, a gaffe cuts a little too deep, raising eyebrows far beyond the ballpark. That’s exactly what unfolded during Saturday’s clash between the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds, when veteran Cardinals announcer Chip Caray made a regrettable and jarring on-air blunder in the top of the fourth inning.
What seemed like a routine broadcast took an uncomfortable turn, prompting a wave of reaction. But in a surprising twist, the verdict from fans may not have been what Caray or anyone else expected. Guess what? The reactions this time were a stark contrast to similar incidents in the past, when fan emotions went for a toss!
This time, the fans seem to be rallying behind Caray! Surprising, isn’t it?
The incident happened during a promo for the Cardinals’ upcoming Disability Pride Night on Thursday, July 10. Chip Caray was reading about the special event. Fans will get a Cardinals cap featuring the Disability Pride flag and Cardinals written in braille when he stumbled over one particular word. The ending to the announcement was not expected, and it surely resonated with all those watching the game on television.
A VERY painful 31 seconds of silence after Chip Caray accidentally says slur while reading Disability Pride promo… pic.twitter.com/pyJcnVp00x
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 21, 2025
It resulted in an awkward moment, and although Caray immediately corrected himself, there were about 31 whole seconds of complete silence. It was his broadcast partner, Brad Thompson, who eventually broke the tension by casually commenting on a pitch that was called a ball. But by then, the damage was done. And the damage control is yet to come.
Considering how the previous gaffes by the announcers were dealt with when the majority of fans got offended, Caray’s MLB stint may well hang in the balance. Remember back in 2020 when Sacramento Kings announcer Grant Napear lost his job just for saying “All Lives Matter”? And Thom Brenneman? He was blacklisted from broadcasting for four years after that hot mic slip-up.
MLB fans are rallying behind Chip Caray after on-air goof up
So yeah, stuff like this isn’t new, and usually the consequences are pretty serious. But this time? Well, the reaction from fans might surprise you.
“It was an obvious slip of the tongue, just a simple apology and move on,” one fan remarked. Is it just that simple? To consider the previous examples where such slurs were used even by mistake, things did not end that simply. In 2020, during a broadcast, a hot mic caught Thom Brennaman using a slur. The outcome? He was pulled mid-game after issuing an on-air apology and later resigned. The clip went viral, and he remained out of MLB broadcasting for several years.
It was an obvious slip of the tongue just a simple apology and move on
— ✭ 𝓠𝓤𝓐 ✭ (@QuaDC4L) June 21, 2025
One user commented: “A drive into deep left field by Castellanos.” Ahh, trivial facts! Well, Caray’s gaffe came in a game against the Reds. And that brought back memories of the infamous Thom Brennaman incident, especially his awkward on-air apology that got interrupted mid-sentence by a Nick Castellanos home run. Naturally, the internet being what it is. Seems like the fans are tempted to place bets on Castellanos going deep again, just for the irony.
“One of the few times it feels like a genuine accident lol“, chimed in another. While Caray seemed absolutely unintentional in using the slur, the most surprising part is how the fans are agreeing to it. In several instances before, fan reaction was hardly as optimistic.
Perhaps it’s not just about the gaffe anymore, but how divided the audience is, how certain fan bases rally around their voices no matter what. And maybe even how desensitized some viewers have become to these kinds of slip-ups. “Give him a raise,” one fan remarked. The fact that despite the slur, some fans are calling for a pay raise for Chip Caray says a lot about the deeper layers at play. “Funny. Not painful. Funny“, echoed another user with the same sentiment!
Still, its going to a night to forget for poor Chip Caray. And while the game ended without any more slip ups, MLB’s response, if any, is going to be worth waiting for.
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