Report: 4 former Phillies to replace Kevin Frandsen on radio team in 2022

According to Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, the Phillies are finalizing deals to bring in former Phillies Chad Durbin, Michael Bourn, Erik Kratz and Kevin Stocker to serve as color commentators on road radio broadcasts alongside Scott Franzke.

In addition, Gregg Murphy’s role on the radio team will expand, per Zolecki. He will fill in occasionally for Franzke as well as host pregame and postgame shows for home and away broadcasts. Murphy, who previously served as a sideline reporter for NBC Sports Philadelphia, joined the Phillies radio team last April as the pregame and postgame host for weekend games.

Durbin, Bourn, Kratz and Stocker will rotate as color commentators on Phillies road broadcasts. It’s unclear what their schedules will look like, but with the lockout already canceling two Phillies road series, it’s likely that it will get sorted out once there is an official start date. Larry Andersen will continue to call home games with Franzke.

As expected, the Phillies will treat this year as an extended audition for the radio analyst role. The team utilized this approach in 2018 when they brought on the three Kevins — Stocker, Frandsen and Kevin Jordan — to see who could fill in for Andersen, who wanted a reduced travel schedule that season.

Franzke, the Phillies’ beloved play-by-play man, signed a one-year contract extension for the 2022 season.

Frandsen was hired by the Washington Nationals and MASN to serve as the team’s television color commentator.

Among the four new hires, Stocker is the only one with prior broadcasting experience.

Durbin, a 2008 World Series champion, pitched for the Phillies from 2008 to 2010, returning to the team in 2013. Bourn, a former Phillies fourth-round pick in 2004, played for the team from 2006 to 2007. Kratz spent four seasons as a catcher with the Phillies from 2011 to 2014 and retired from baseball after the 2020 season. Stocker, a former Phillies second-round pick, played for the team from 1993 to ’97.

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