Major League Baseball opened its 2026 season March 25, and the first full slate of games — from afternoon matchups in New York to a twilight West Coast tilt — matters for fans, broadcasters and fantasy rosters. Here’s what happened, where to watch and what to watch for after the first weekend of play.
Opening Day highlights: who played and why it mattered
The marquee opener featured reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes on the mound at Citi Field for the Pittsburgh Pirates against the New York Mets, who debuted new third baseman Bo Bichette. Other notable starts included Tarik Skubal for the Detroit Tigers at San Diego and an evening showdown with the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers facing Arizona in an 8:30 p.m. ET twilight opener.
- Rookie debuts: Kevin McGonigle (Tigers), Justin Crawford (Phillies) and JJ Wetherholt (Cardinals) all made their season starts.
- Big-name pitchers: Yoshinobu Yamamoto opened for the Dodgers; Nick Pivetta for the Padres; Nathan Eovaldi for Texas in Philadelphia.
Clubroom notes and injury update
The Brewers placed outfielder Jackson Chourio on the 10-day injured list March 26 after images showed a hairline fracture at the base of his third metacarpal. Team president of baseball operations Matt Arnold said, “So, we got another image on it, and it looks like it’s fractured very slightly.” Chourio’s injury stems from being hit by a pitch during the World Baseball Classic and flaring up during an exhibition check swing.
Meanwhile, Detroit manager A.J. Hinch framed expectations during spring training: “We’re back at the bottom of the mountain again, with clear goals,” and as the regular season began, he told reporters: “We’re trying to win the World Series.” Tarik Skubal echoed that ambition: “I’m ready to play baseball for the Detroit Tigers and try to win a World Series.”
How to watch: national TV, streaming and costs
The 2026 broadcast map is crowded. National partners include FOX (Saturday windows and postseason), NBC/Peacock (Sunday Night Baseball and select doubleheaders), Apple TV (Friday Night doubleheaders) and Netflix, which picked up Opening Night, the Home Run Derby and the Field of Dreams game.
Out-of-market coverage is concentrated on MLB.TV (seasonly price around $149.99) and complementary bundles: ESPN Unlimited now includes MLB.TV offers; Peacock, Apple TV+, Netflix and other streamers will carry exclusive national windows. Sling, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo and DirecTV Stream are common OTT options that package regional and national channels for viewers without cable.
Blackouts and regional complications
Blackout rules remain a headache. Local RSN broadcasts and some national exclusives are blacked out on MLB.TV for in-market viewers unless they subscribe to their in-market RSN or the specific national streamer showing the game. MLB stepped in to directly broadcast games for teams that lost RSN partners, so some clubs — including a few formerly on FanDuel Sports Network — now have games carried by MLB itself.
What fans should do next
- Check your team’s local broadcast partner before buying MLB.TV or a streaming bundle.
- For nationally exclusive games, subscribe to the platform carrying that window (Netflix, Peacock, Apple TV, FOX, etc.).
- Expect the regular season to run through late September; confirm exact end dates and postseason windows with league schedules and your streaming services.
Opening Day set the tone — top pitching matchups, rookie introductions and an already consequential injury — and the rest of the six-month regular season will test fans’ wallets as much as their patience with blackout rules. Stay tuned for lineup changes, roster moves and broadcaster schedule updates as the season settles in.