Bob Costas is retiring from MLB after 44 years of play-by-play

We won't have Bob Costas to fool around with anymore.

Costas, 72, is retiring from playing in MLB games, The Athetic's Andrew Marchand reported.

Costas has been hosting baseball games since the 1980s and was most recently a member of the TBS announcing team.

In the 1990s, he was a guest on NBC for the World Series. He called his first MLB game for NBC 44 years ago.

His last MLB broadcast was the Yankees' victory over the Royals in Game 4 of the ALDS.

Costas' contract with TBS parent company WBD expired and The Athletic reported that he has now made his decision to retire before the start of this season.

Costas remains an on-air contributor to MLB Network but will not be calling games for them.

In recent years, Costas has become a distraction from the games he announces.

During the ALDS, Chris “Mad Dog” Russo criticized Costas and TBS for too many shots of George Brett and 1970s references, as well as various calls that fell short.

“I was watching a documentary about George Brett last night and there was a baseball game on – the old Rodney Dangerfield line. I mean, what are they doing? And I love George, but my goodness, six questions in the middle of a playoff game? You know, Bob had a rough night,” Russo said on Audacy’s “You Better You Bet.”

“He messed up the call to left, the home run he thought Judge had hit, obviously the bottom of the eighth in the single, and he thought it was a single and it was an out. “He loves it to tell you the stories. We also learned a lot last night about baseball stadium construction with foul territory, he touched on that.

“You know, he’s educated, we know enough about the 1976-77 Yankees and Royals. Yes, he was beaten up here. He was beaten. I don't read social media that much, but I know what was said. I feel bad for Bob because he's a legend, he's a jack of all trades, that probably bothers him. (Ron) Darling needs to figure out where he fits in… but Bob I think maybe needs to give the game some breathing room.”