Giants announcer Duane Kuiper announces throat cancer diagnosis
Giants announcer Duane Kuiper announced a throat cancer diagnosis on Sunday, September 20, and began treatment at Stanford Medicine the previous week. The 76-year-old plans to miss broadcasts on September 21 and 22 but intends to return September 23 and September 27 to honor retiring broadcast partner Mike Krukow before the season concludes.
Duane Kuiper, the San Francisco Giants' longtime announcer, announced on Sunday, September 20, that he has been diagnosed with throat cancer and has begun treatment at Stanford Medicine. Kuiper, 76, told Yahoo MLB he is optimistic he will be "successfully treated." Kuiper started treatment the previous week. He said the cancer is unrelated to a previous cancer diagnosis he dealt with in 2021, when he missed portions of that season. The immediate broadcast schedule reflects the demands of his treatment. His return is tied to a farewell: broadcast partner Mike Krukow announced his retirement in August after multiple decades calling Giants games alongside Kuiper. Kuiper is committed to being back for at least one more broadcast to celebrate Krukow before the 2026 season ends. Kuiper has been a Giants institution since 1982, when he hosted a radio show during his playing career. After his playing days ended, he moved into broadcast commentary for the team until 1993, when he left for one season to call games for the Colorado Rockies. He returned to the Giants in 1994 and has remained with the organization since. He called Barry Bonds' 756th home run, Matt Cain's perfect game, and multiple Giants World Series championships over his tenure.
Kuiper, 76, has started treatment for throat cancer unrelated to a previous cancer diagnosis he survived in 2021, and aims to return to the booth before the 2026 season ends.
The exact scope and timeline of Kuiper's treatment remain undefined, making his September 23 return date and the full extent of his airtime before season's end unconfirmed. His determination to share the booth one more time with Krukow will be the focal point as both legends close their chapter together.
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