NBC Sports Philadelphia (NBCSP) recently revealed the surprisingly departure of Phillies sideline reporter Taryn Hatcher, whose “cat’s out of the bag” tweet stirred buzz online last week.
Alexandra Matcham, NBCSP’s vice president of content, explained that the network is switching up its storytelling approach to a broader audience, which means the coverage is inevitably changing.
“As the game of baseball evolves and changes, so too does our coverage,” Matcham told the Philadelphia Business Journal. “In order to give fans who are not at the stadium the most entertaining and informative broadcast we can deliver, we want to add to our storytelling in new ways.
“This season, we believe we can do that by bringing a different approach to our coverage.”
Hatcher worked in-stadium as a sideline reporter for the Phillies, as well as for 76ers games.
A South new Jersey native, she joined NBCSP in 2018, starting as the Flyers rinkside reporter before moving to host the pre- and postgame studio shows, before landing the Phillies sideline role.
NBC Sports Philadelphia released its spring training coverage plans last week, but Hatcher’s name was not included.
The network chose not to renew her contract after it expired following the 2025 season and eliminated the position, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported Friday.
Hatcher addressed the news in a Saturday post on X, calling it “heartbreaking,” while explaining what “I was told” about the matter.
“Cat’s out of the bag, so I’ll keep this short and sweet as possible,” Hatcher wrote. “Sadly, I won’t be returning on Phillies coverage this season.
“At the conclusion of the 2025 season, I was told that my role on the sidelines at NBCSP was being eliminated moving forward.
“While the news was pretty heartbreaking, I have to acknowledge that it was a really fun run. I loved every second of it. I’m grateful for everyone who tuned in over the years, and for the wonderful people I’ve met along the way.”
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
