Eric Nadel, longtime voice of Texas Rangers, will miss start of season to treat mental health

Eric Nadel, the Texas Rangers' Hall of Fame radio announcer, will miss the start of the 2023 Major League Baseball season while he undergoes treatment for his mental health.

"I now find myself dealing with anxiety, insomnia and depression which are currently preventing me from doing the job I love," he said in a statement released by the team Wednesday. "I regret to say I will not be in the broadcast booth when the season starts."

He was set to enter his 29th season as the lead voice of the Rangers' radio broadcasts, but Nadel said he'll be away from the booth as he goes through a "healing process." He encouraged others dealing with similar mental health issues to do the same.

Nadel expressed gratitude for announcers Matt Hicks and Jared Sandler "for the superb job they are doing in my absence." He also thanked Rangers executives for their support.

"I thank them for their concern, kindness and understanding," he said. "Rangers fans have always given me tremendous support, and I ask for their continued support at this time and in the future.”

Although there was no timetable provided, the Rangers said on Twitter: "We look forward to your return to the radio booth!"

Nadel, 71, joined the Rangers' broadcast team in 1979 and became the team's main radio play-by-play announcer in 1995. He was inducted into the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991, signed a lifetime contract with the Rangers in 2006 and was inducted into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame in 2012.

Only two current MLB broadcasters have been with their teams longer. Denny Matthews has been a part of Kansas City Royals broadcasts since the team's inception in 1969, and Bob Uecker has been with the Milwaukee Brewers since 1971.

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Texas Rangers broadcaster Eric Nadel will miss start of season