BOSTON — Emily Elmore stood by her seat along the third-base line at Fenway Park on Wednesday holding a simple sign that signified the latest twist in a miserable Boston Red Sox season.

“Save Don Orsillo,” it said. “He is our guy.”

Orsillo was, at that moment, upstairs in the ballpark’s broadcast booth, calling the Yankees-Red Sox game for New England Sports Network, a cable sports outlet. But he will not be doing it much longer. On Aug. 13, after hearing rumors that he might be replaced, he learned for certain that after 15 seasons he was no longer wanted by NESN and the Red Sox’ management and that his contract would not be renewed for next year. Suddenly, he became a lame-duck announcer, growing more beloved by the day because of what fans believe is a wrong and unnecessary move.

The news that his contract was not being renewed was supposed to have been held until the end of the season. But it leaked, leading fans to respond with an online petition, which has gathered more than 58,000 signatures, and a social media campaign demanding that the Red Sox and NESN reverse their decision to replace Orsillo with Dave O’Brien, the team’s radio play-by-play voice since 2007. Some others brought signs to the ballpark protesting the move. And in anticipation of the Red Sox’ final home game on Sept. 27, money is being raised at GoFundMe to pay for 100 placards of Orsillo’s face to be given to fans in Fenway’s bleachers.

“This is the wrong thing to do,” Elmore said as she held her sign, echoing the sentiment of many fans. “There’s got to be more to this story.”