Major League Baseball returns to NBC Sports this week with a marquee Opening Day doubleheader on Thursday, March 26, followed by the debut of Sunday Night Baseball three days later. The network’s coverage begins with two nationally televised matchups featuring some of the sport’s biggest names.
RAYS COVERAGE – SPORTS TALK FLORIDA
At 1 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes leads the Pittsburgh Pirates into Citi Field to face four‑time All‑Star Juan Soto and the New York Mets. Matt Vasgersian will handle play‑by‑play alongside analysts Al Leiter and Neil Walker.
Ohtani and Dodgers headline Opening Day primetime
NBC and Peacock will air MLB’s only primetime Opening Day game at 8 p.m. ET, featuring 2023 Rookie of the Year Corbin Carroll and the Arizona Diamondbacks against four‑time MVP Shohei Ohtani and the two‑time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Jason Benetti will call the action with analysts Luis Gonzalez and Orel Hershiser.
Both games will include on‑site pregame shows. Ahmed Fareed and Adam Ottavino will be live from Citi Field, while Bob Costas and three‑time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw will host from Dodger Stadium as the Dodgers raise their championship banner.
Sunday Night Baseball debuts on Peacock and NBCSN
On Sunday, March 29 at 7 p.m. ET, Sunday Night Baseball makes its season debut on Peacock and NBCSN. The matchup features 2025 MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh and the Seattle Mariners hosting seven‑time All‑Star José Ramírez and the Cleveland Guardians. Both clubs enter the season as defending AL division champions.
Benetti will again handle play‑by‑play, joined by analysts Rick Manning and Ryan Rowland‑Smith. Manning, the longest‑tenured television analyst in Guardians history, and Rowland‑Smith, now the primary analyst for Mariners broadcasts, bring decades of experience to the booth. Ahmed Fareed will host the pregame show.
Peacock launches new MLB Hub and expanded features
Peacock is rolling out a dedicated MLB Hub this week, giving fans a centralized destination for live games, team pages, highlights, and interactive features. Viewers will have access to tools such as Catch Up With Key Plays, Live in Browse, and MLB Live Picks, a mobile mini‑game that lets fans predict outcomes in real time.
Beginning May 3, Peacock will also stream The Sunday Stretch, a whip‑around show delivering live look‑ins and key moments throughout the day. Spanish‑language coverage will be available through Telemundo and Universo.
Peacock “Game of the Day” schedule begins March 26
Peacock’s national “Game of the Day” package begins Thursday, March 26, with Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels visiting José Altuve and the Houston Astros at 4:10 p.m. ET. One out‑of‑market game will stream nationally nearly every day through April 1.
Upcoming Game of the Day matchups: • March 26 – Angels at Astros, 4:10 p.m. • March 27 – Royals at Braves, 7:15 p.m. • March 28 – Rays at Cardinals, 2:15 p.m. • March 29 – Rangers at Phillies, 1:35 p.m. • March 31 – Pirates at Reds, 6:40 p.m. • April 1 – Twins at Royals, 7:40 p.m.
(Games unavailable in competing team markets, where local rightsholders will carry the broadcast.)
NBC Sports’ long baseball legacy
NBC Sports’ relationship with Major League Baseball dates back to the first televised MLB game in 1939. The network has aired more World Series broadcasts than any other and was home to decades of iconic programming including Game of the Week, Monday Night Baseball, and more than 30 All‑Star Games.
