Gary Cohen knows how to meet the moment

We might write a lot about the New York Mets and their broadcast booth throughout any given season, but that’s because the SNY trio of Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling make for great content. And Awful Announcing’s readers feel the same way , too, as more than 13,000 people voted to rank the SNY booth as the No. 1 in the sport.

They don’t need any more publicity, but they deserve it .

It’s often talked about how the broadcast can be even more entertaining when the Mets are down 11-1 in the sixth inning of a Wednesday night game in July. You’d probably rather watch literally anything else, but GKR keeps you wrapped up. It’s the best reality show on television.

But it’s not just about those moments that make the booth great. It’s about the big moments, where they meet the moment. And Gary Cohen has never met a moment he wasn’t ready to call. As Adam Schein colorfully called him “my generation’s Vin Scully,” Cohen has leaned into his role as one of the premier play-by-play voices in the sport.

With the Mets in a pennant race, needing to be on their A-game, they can count on their play-by-play announcer to be on his, as well. This week, Cohen was up to the task for both wins in New York’s series against the Baltimore Orioles. You do not often get to call a walk-off home run in grand style twice during an entire month, but Cohen did it twice in a series.

And he did so as only he could.

First, there was Francisco Alvarez. The Mets catcher, who hadn’t hit a home run in three weeks, launched a 3-0 pitch deep into the Flushing night at Citi Field to give the Mets a 4-3 win on Monday night. Alvarez was ready for a 3-0 letter-high fastball; Cohen was ready to make the call.

Here’s what it sounded — and looked like.

“Alvarez swings sand he drives one, deep left-center field, Mullins looks up — and it’s outta here! Alvarez swings 3-0, and he wins the game for New York with a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth.”

It’s the perfect call. Cohen has the right amount of enthusiasm (sorry, Chris Russo ) while also letting the moment breathe, as those at home can take in the roars of the Citi Field crowd. Cohen knows what he’s doing; he’s a master of his craft. But it’s moments like these where the sheer inflection of his voice reaching another decibel pulls you in.

There’s a reason why SNY has started sharing these and has done so for a while now. Cohen lets his emotions shine through, and calling Alvarez’s home run wasn’t complete with a fist pump, slamming his pen on the table, and then slamming his hand down on the table—again—for good measure.

And didn’t take long after Jesse Winker hit his first Mets home run for SNY to share Cohen’s (plus Darling and Hernandez’s) point of view for an epic walk-off win. During an afternoon rubber game, the veteran outfielder, acquired from the Washington Nationals prior to the MLB Trade Deadline, stepped to the plate in the ninth inning. Winker quickly went down 0-2 in pinch-hitting for Harrison Bader before rallying back in the count.

Winker got a knee-high fastball and took it to deep left-center field.

Cohen has the rest.

“And Winker strokes one deep left-center field, back goes Mullins, near the wall, it’s outta here! Jesse Winker’s first home run as a New York Met is a walk-off shot in the bottom of the ninth! And the Mets do it again, with a game-winning home run by Winker; they take two out of three from the Orioles.”

It’s hard to tell who was more excited, Cohen or the 31-year-old outfielder.

As Hernandez and Darling each pointed to left field, Cohen inched up on the seat of his chair. He lifted out of his chair and raised both arms in pure jubilation. As we’ve repeatedly repeated, Cohen and his fellow analysts will tell it like it is. But don’t let it be mistaken for a second that they aren’t excited when the Mets win, especially in walk-off fashion, and let this serve as a stark example.

Whether it’s a walk-off home run or a routine fly ball, Cohen infuses every play with a sense of drama and importance. It’s his ability to connect with the viewer on an emotional level that sets him apart. He doesn’t just call the game; he makes you feel it.

As the Mets continue their quest for a championship, Cohen will be there, his voice a constant companion, guiding Mets fans through every twist and turn of the final month of the season.

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