Big Names: Alex Rodriguez, Gruden, Marty Smith

Fox Sports’ brightest new star is in talks to join ESPN. In other news, all those years of Jon Gruden coaching rumors are finally coming to a head, and ESPN has extended one of its most colorful reporters.

A-Rod, ESPN, in Talks

Fox Sports MLB analyst Alex Rodriguez is in “serious talks” to join ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball, and is lobbying for Fox colleague Matt Vasgersian to fill the play-by-play vacancy left by Dan Shulman, The Big Lead reported Tuesday. Rodriguez just finished the first year of a multi-year contract with Fox.

Sports TV analysts break their contracts all the time for coaching and front office positions — and sometimes to return to the field ala Jay Cutler — but not usually for a rival network. ESPN is willing to share Rodriguez with Fox, per Sporting News, but a Fox spokesman told The Big Lead that the network has exclusive rights to his baseball commentary.

Fox has been willing to share talent with ESPN sibling ABC, most notably Fox NFL Sunday anaylst Michael Strahan — perhaps best known for his work on ABC’s Good Morning America. Notably, multiple reports had Rodriguez joining GMA last year, but it does not appear that ever come to fruition.

ESPN is reshuffling its Sunday Night Baseball broadcast team for the eighth time in ten years. Analyst Jessica Mendoza is returning for her third season, but Aaron Boone departed to become Yankees manager and play-by-play voice Dan Shulman stepped away to spend more time with his family. According to Sporting News, Jon Sciambi is the primary candidate to replace Shulman, though it was unclear what impact the Rodriguez talks are having on that search, if any. [The Big Lead 1.2, Sporting News 1.3]

Gruden Clearly Leaving ESPN, But Not Official Yet

ESPN Monday Night Football analyst Jon Gruden is widely expected to leave the network for the Oakland Raiders head coaching job, ending his nine season tenure. When asked on ESPN’s Golic & Wingo radio show Wednesday, Gruden said there is a “good chance” that he would take the job if offered.

Gruden is one of just four MNF analysts in the ESPN era, and by far the longest tenured. Of the previous three, two are no longer with ESPN — Joe Theismann and Ron Jaworski — and the other is Tony Kornheiser. [ESPN/YouTube 1.3]

ESPN Extends Marty Smith

ESPN has reached a contract extension with reporter Marty Smith, The Roanoke Times reported Wednesday. Smith has been with ESPN since 2006, originally covering NASCAR, and re-signed with the company despite its loss of NASCAR rights in 2014. Since then he has branched out into feature reporting and hosting his own ESPN2 show, both of which will continue under his new deal. [Roanoke Times 1.3]