Todd Kalas and Geoff Blum to take over Astros television broadcasts

The Houston Astros have spent much of the offseason filling holes in the lineup and pitching staff. A few of the biggest holes remaining in the Astros organization — who would be the calling Astros game on television?

The Astros answered that question on Thursday, announcing that Todd Kalas and Geoff Blum will be the new Astros television broadcast team for Root Sports Southwest in 2017.

Kalas replaces Bill Brown, who retired in 2016 following 30 seasons of calling Astros baseball. He has spent the past 19 seasons as a member of the Rays' telecast team — serving as pre and postgame host and in-game reporter. But he has also handled play-by-play duties for hundreds of Rays games on both television and radio during his time there. Kalas also had stints with the New York Mets radio (1992-93) and Philadelphia Phillies television (1994-96) broadcast teams.

Kalas is a native Houstonian, born at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital in Houston while his father, Hall of Famer Harry Kalas, served as an Astros broadcaster from 1965-1970.

Blum steps in as the full-time TV color analyst after serving as the color analyst for road games only for the past four seasons — he replaces Alan Ashby who was not retained following 2016.

Blum played 14 seasons in the major leagues, including two stints with the Astros (2002-03, 2008-10), totaling five seasons.