John Sterling died Monday from complications of heart failure at 87. Kevin R. Wexler / NorthJersey.comMay 5, 2026NEW YORK — The New York Yankees announced Tuesday that they will wear a season-long patch on their uniform to memorialize John Sterling, their longtime radio play-by-play broadcaster who died Monday.The Yankees unveiled hats during Monday’s game with the initials “JS” on the back, which they’ll continue wearing through May 17. The patch will take over as their permanent tribute to Sterling on May 18, the first game of the Yankees’ next homestand.“I think it’s appropriate, certainly,” manager Aaron Boone said about the patch after Tuesday’s 7-4 win over the Texas Rangers. “(I’m) glad we’ll be able to honor his legacy throughout the rest of the season.”(Courtesy of New York Yankees)Sterling died from complications of heart failure at 87. The Yankees honored Sterling during a pregame ceremony that featured a montage of some of his most iconic calls, a moment of silence and a poignant gesture from Suzyn Waldman and YES play-by-play broadcaster Michael Kay, who each placed a bouquet of blue-and-white roses at home plate.
The club has not announced whether it will continue playing Sterling’s signature call after wins, which it did Monday night, leading into Frank Sinatra’s “Theme from New York, New York.”Both Boone and captain Aaron Judge advocated making it a permanent tradition. But after the final out of Tuesday’s game, the club did not play Sterling’s call, opting instead for the standard Sinatra song.Jazz Chisholm Jr., who hit his fourth home run of the season, said he thinks the Yankees wearing the Sterling patch is a fitting way for the club to honor him.“He was here for a long time,” Chisholm said. “He represented the Yankees well. We all, in our childhood, have that John Sterling call ringing in our ears. I think it’s pretty cool that we, as a team and organization, get to recognize him for all the great things that he’s done here.”
