World Series Heroes Orel Hershiser (1988 Dodgers) & Luis Gonzalez (2001 Diamondbacks) Join Play-by-Play Voice Jason Benetti in the Booth Next Thursday at 8 p.m. ET for Diamondbacks-Dodgers
Al Leiter and Neil Walker Join Matt Vasgersian (Play-by-Play) for Pirates-Mets at 1 p.m. ET
Both Games Feature On-Site Pregame Shows: Bob Costas and Clayton Kershaw at Dodger Stadium as World Series Banner is Raised; Ahmed Fareed and Adam Ottavino at Citi Field
Peacock “Game of the Day” begins Thursday, March 26 with the Los Angeles Angels at Houston Astros Live at 4:10 p.m. ET on Peacock
STAMFORD, Conn. – March 19, 2026 – NBC Sports today announced its MLB Opening Day game and pregame analysts, one week ahead of its 2026 season debut featuring two games next Thursday, March 26.
NBC Sports’ star-studded Opening Day presented by Adobe doubleheader begins at 1 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, as reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes and the Pittsburgh Pirates visit Juan Soto and the New York Mets at Citi Field.
Then at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, in the only primetime game on Opening Day, Corbin Carroll and the Arizona Diamondbacks face four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani and the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
NBC Sports’ announce teams for MLB Opening Day are as follows:
Pirates vs. Mets – 1 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock
Play-by-play voice Matt Vasgersian calls Pirates-Mets alongside analysts Al Leiter and Neil Walker.
A two-time All-Star with two World Series rings, Leiter pitched 19 MLB seasons, including seven with the Mets (1998-2004). With the Mets in 2000, he won The Roberto Clemente Award which annually honors the player who best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field. Leiter has been a studio analyst with MLB Network since 2009 (earning a Sports Emmy nomination) and previously served as game analyst for 12 seasons with YES Network.
The 2014 NL Silver Slugger as the Pirates second baseman, Walker’s 12-year MLB career (2009-2020) included his first seven seasons in Pittsburgh, followed by two years with the Mets (2016-17). Since 2021, Walker has served as an analyst for the Pirates broadcast team.
Ahmed Fareed will host pregame coverage alongside analyst Adam Ottavino, who pitched in 727 games for five teams in 15 MLB seasons (2010, 2012-25), including 2022-24 with the Mets.
Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers – 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock
Jason Benetti handles play-by-play, joined by analysts and World Series heroes Luis Gonzalez and Orel Hershiser.
Gonzalez, a five-time All-Star, played 19 MLB seasons (1990-2008), highlighted by eight years with the Diamondbacks. In Game 7 of the 2001 World Series, Gonzalez hit the game-winning single as Arizona won its first championship. The Fall Classic heroics capped his best statistical season as he won the Silver Slugger with a .325 batting average, 57 home runs and 142 RBI. An analyst for select Diamondbacks games, Gonzalez won the 2005 Branch Rickey Award for community service.
Hershiser’s 18-year MLB career was headlined by his 1988 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He posted an MLB-high 23 victories, pitched a record 59 consecutive scoreless innings, and won the NL Cy Young Award, NLCS MVP, and World Series MVP as the Dodgers won their first championship in seven years. Hershiser pitched 12 seasons for the Dodgers, and three seasons for Cleveland, where he won ALCS MVP honors in leading the team to the 1995 World Series. Hershiser has worked as the primary analyst for SportsNet LA’s broadcasts of Dodgers games since 2017.
Host Bob Costas will be joined by analyst and three-time Dodgers’ NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw for an on-location pregame show at Dodger Stadium, where the Dodgers will raise their World Series championship banner.
Peacock “Game of the Day” (March 26-April 1)
One out-of-market game will be streamed nationally* on Peacock each day of the season, beginning Thursday, March 26, with 11-time All-Star Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels visiting Jose Altuve and the Houston Astros at 4:10 p.m. ET on Peacock. The Peacock “Game of the Day” will allow viewers to watch either the home or visiting team presentation.
| Date | Time (ET) | Game |
| Thurs., March 26 | 4:10 p.m. | Los Angeles Angels at Houston Astros |
| Fri., March 27 | 7:15 p.m. | Kansas City Royals at Atlanta Braves |
| Sat., March 28 | 2:15 p.m. | Tampa Bay Rays at St. Louis Cardinals |
| Sun., March 29 | 1:35 p.m. | Texas Rangers at Philadelphia Phillies |
| Tues. March 31 | 6:40 p.m. | Pittsburgh Pirates at Cincinnati Reds |
| Wed., April 1 | 7:40 p.m. | Minnesota Twins at Kansas City Royals |
(*Note: The Peacock “Game of the Day” will not be available in the competing team markets, where it will be presented by the local rightsholder)
NBC SPORTS’ MLB TRADITION
NBC Sports has a distinguished history with Major League Baseball. The first-ever MLB television broadcast was a 1939 Cincinnati Reds-Brooklyn Dodgers doubleheader on W2XBS (the precursor to WNBC-TV) in New York. NBC Sports was a home to the first World Series broadcast in 1947, the first All-Star Game nationally broadcast in 1952, and has televised 39 World Series – more than any other network.
From 1957-2000, NBC Sports was home to a wealth of baseball programming, including Game of the Week and Monday Night Baseball telecasts, more than 30 All-Star Games, and countless iconic Postseason moments. For the 2022-23 seasons, Peacock was the exclusive home of MLB Sunday Leadoff, a first-of-its-kind Sunday morning presentation featuring a unique three-announcer broadcast booth with one analyst with expertise on each team joining the play-by-play voice.
--NBC SPORTS--
