A recent piece by Darragh McDonald on November 11, 2024, in MLB Trade Rumors discussed The Athletic and Ken Rosenthal.
The story reintroduced journalist and reporter Ken Rosenthal, who had been working discreetly as The Athletics’ senior baseball writer.
Despite the controversy, Rosenthal has 36 years of experience in this industry and has amassed a sizable fortune.
Highlights
- Ken Rosenthal was not fired, rather he was let go by the network when his contract was not renewed.
- Rosenthal’s June 2020 appraisal of Manfred for The Athletic included some light criticism, but it did not appear to dive into anything personal.
- He has estimated net worth of around $10 million.
Ken Rosenthal is a sportswriter and reporter. He has worked as a field reporter for Fox Major League Baseball since 2005, and as an in-studio reporter for MLB Network from 2009 to 2022.
Since August 2017, he has been a senior baseball writer at The Athletic.
Rosenthal is a household name in MLB, and as a field reporter for Fox Major League Baseball, everyone is familiar with him.
Both starting pitchers, Jack Flaherty and Gerrit Cole, will be relied on heavily tonight but the game will dictate how long they go.@Ken_Rosenthal has more on the pitching plan for both teams ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/yGEgRRJN5N
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 30, 2024
A recent article by MLB Trade Rumors about Ken Rosenthal and The Athletic has brought him back into the spotlight.
The article highlights the athletic department’s payroll and Ken Rosenthal’s doubts.
The article discusses the controversy between MLB Network and Rosenthal, which arose as a result of Rosenthal’s writing for The Athletic.
Ken Rosenthal Fired From MLB Network Due To Previous Criticism Of Rob Manfred
Ken Rosenthal was not fired, as many people believe, rather he was let go by the network when his contract was not renewed.
One of baseball’s leading newsmakers left MLB Network, purportedly over his criticism of commissioner Rob Manfred.
Ken Rosenthal, a writer for The Athletic and a Fox Sports game reporter, did not have his contract with MLB Network renewed after more than a decade of on-air contributions.
According to Andrew Marchand of the New York Post, the divorce originates from Rosenthal’s 2020 criticism of Manfred.
In past years, MLB Network had seen a turnover at the top. Bill Morningstar took over as president of the network from Rob McGlarry at the end of that year.
Rosenthal’s June 2020 appraisal of Manfred for The Athletic included some light criticism, but it did not appear to dive into anything personal.
Can confirm MLB Network has decided not to bring me back. I’m grateful for the more than 12 years I spent there, and my enduring friendships with on-air personalities, producers and staff. I always strove to maintain my journalistic integrity, and my work reflects that. 1/2
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 4, 2022
Later, Rosenthal announced via Twitter that the MLB Network is letting him go and informed his followers of the decision.
In the tweet, he expressed his gratitude for working with MLB Network for over 12 years, as well as his friendships with staff and personalities.
Ken Rosenthal’s Impact On Baseball Reporting And His Lucrative Career Earnings
Rosenthal was born in Queens, New York, and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1984.
He began his career at the York Daily Record, then moved on to the Courier-Post and The Baltimore Sun.
Rosenthal received five Maryland Sportswriter of the Year awards from the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. He has also contributed to Sports Illustrated and The Sporting News.
He joined Fox Sports in 2005 and won the Sports Emmy for Outstanding Sports Reporter two times.
Rosenthal joined MLB Network in 2009 as a “baseball insider,” working on Trade Deadline, National Baseball Hall of Fame coverage, and the offseason show Hot Stove.
In 2017, FoxSports.com cut its writing team to focus solely on video, leaving Rosenthal without an editorial home.
Rosenthal has joined The Athletic as a senior baseball writer. He was the first to report on the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing issue in 2019, which prompted an MLB inquiry.
After more than twelve years, his tenure with MLB Network came to an end in January 2022.
He is still a senior baseball writer for The Athletic and contributes as a field reporter for Fox Sports’ baseball coverage.
Rosenthal’s career and experience as a sports writer has earned him a lot of recognition and a substantial net worth.
The pay and earnings of Rosenthal have not been released, but we can make assumptions based on similar positions and how much other individuals earn with the same expertise.
Taking into account all of his positions and the time he worked for every organization, we may estimate his net worth to be around $10 million.
Additional Information
- Ken Rosenthal and his wife Lisa have three children: Sidney, Hunter, and Sloane.
- During the 2011 season, Rosenthal became interested in “The Bow Tie Cause,” a humanitarian effort started by Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Dhani Jones.
- Rosenthal has wrote or contributed to three books. “Chicken Soup for the Baseball Fan’s Soul” came out in 2001, while “Best of the Best-35 Major League Superstars” was published in 1998. In 2001, he released his third book, “Dean Smith: A Tribute”.
