John Sterling, the play-by-play man for the New York Yankees on the radio, has announced his immediate retirement from the team on Monday.

Sterling, 85, is leaving the booth after 36 years because of undisclosed health concerns, according to The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand. Sterling will be recognized in a ceremony before Saturday’s game against the Rays.

Sterling joined the Yankees in 1989. He called 5,420 of the team’s regular-season games and 211 in the postseason — including 5,060 consecutive games from September 1989 to July 2019, every at-bat of Derek Jeter’s career and every inning of Mariano Rivera’s.

“I am a very blessed human being,” Sterling said in a statement. “I have been able to do what I wanted, broadcasting for 64 years. As a little boy growing up in New York as a Yankees fan, I was able to broadcast the Yankees for 36 years. It’s all to my benefit, and I leave very, very happy. I look forward to seeing everyone again on Saturday.”

Why is John Sterling retiring from New York Yankees?

Sterling is leaving the booth due to increasing health concerns, according to The Athletic.

He had been working fewer road games in recent years. Sterling missed 23 of New York’s first 61 games last season with an undisclosed illness.

The Yankees defeated the Blue Jays 8-3 on April 7 for Sterling’s final game.

Sterling’s home run calls became iconic, with “it is high, it is far, it is gone,” among the best. The “Sterling Shake” victory call — “Yankees win … theeeee Yankees win! — was another of his many signature phrases.

“Nothing will ever be the same. It can’t be,” said Suzyn Waldman, his longtime radio partner. “Life goes on, and we all go on, but nothing will ever be the same. … Everything about him is unique. He’s one of a kind.”

Yankee outfielder Aaron Judge’s name was easy material for Sterling, giving birth to puns like “All Rise! Here comes the Judge.”

“My parents listen to the radio, and love Suzyn and John going back and forth,” Judge told reporters before Monday’s game at the Toronto Blue Jays. “Even going back to listening to some historic homers or big moments in Yankees history, hearing John there — he’s going to be missed.”

Who is New York Yankees radio announcer John Sterling

Sterling is a native New Yorker from Manhattan’s Upper East Side. He came to the Yankees in 1989 from Atlanta’s TBS and WSB Radio, where he spent most of the 1980s calling Atlanta Hawks and Braves games.

His New York homecoming was a dream job in the sports playground in which he grew up. Sterling hosted a talk show on WMCA from 1971-78, and called the Nets (1975-80) and Islanders (1975-78) for WMCA, WVNJ, WWOR-TV and SportsChannel.

Sterling also called Morgan State Football for eight seasons and Washington Bullets basketball in 1981. He has also hosted talk shows on WFAN and WABC in New York.

He made many appearances as the master of on-field ceremonies for major Yankees events and did emcee work at City Hall with former radio partner Michael Kay at “Key to the City” events after Yankee World Series wins.

“I’m bummed out about it; sad about it,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said before Monday’s game of Sterling’s retirement. “But I certainly just want him to be in a good spot and healthy moving forward. I know that this is the right time and the best thing for John. He’ll be forever connected to the Yankees, and a voice for generations. In my own way, I imitate him at some point every day. He’ll be missed, and I’m looking forward to properly celebrating him this weekend.”

The Yankees added in a statement: “There is no shortage of adjectives to describe John and what he means to this organization and our millions of fans worldwide. But what makes John a goliath of the sports broadcasting world was how sacred he held his role as voice of the Yankees. Showing up to perform virtually every single day since 1989, he was a pillar for Yankees fans who relied on the comfort and familiarity of his voice to be the soundtrack of their spring, summer and fall. Given the tremendous care he had for the team and his performance on the air, it’s not a stretch to believe that our fans live and die with every pitch because John Sterling did the same.