Major League Baseball released its 2026 schedule on August 26, 2025. Each team will play 162 regular-season games. As has been the case since 2025, each team was scheduled to play 13 games against their division rivals, totaling 52 games. Each team would play six games against eight opponents and seven games against two opponents in the same league for a total of 62 games. Each team would also play 48 interleague games, including a six-game home-and-home series against their designated interleague rival. The regular season started on March 25, with a standalone night game featuring the San Francisco Giants hosting the New York Yankees. The slate of Opening Day games then took place on March 26, the earliest that it has been scheduled in MLB history. This season's "Rivalry Weekend" is planned on May 15–17, again 11 series featuring prime "interleague" rivals and the matches reversed from the previous year.[1]
On September 23, 2025, MLB's competition committee approved use of the semi-Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS), beginning with the 2026 season. Under the approved plan, batters, pitchers, and catchers are allowed to request challenges by tapping on their helmet or cap. Each team starts with two challenges, retains a challenge if it is successful, and receives additional challenges in extra innings.[6]
On October 1, 2025, Bill Schmidt resigned after five years as the team's head of baseball operations.[7]
Paul DePodesta was named the new head of baseball operations on November 7. DePodesta, who had served in the Cleveland Browns front office since 2016, has 20 years of baseball executive experience and this is his second major executive role. He was previously general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2004–2005.[8]
On July 6, 2025, Mike Rizzo was fired after 17 years as the team's president of baseball operations. The Nationals named assistant general manager Mike DeBartolo as the interim general manager.[9]
Ani Kilambi was named the new general manager on December 17. This is his first major executive role. He was previously the assistant general manager for the Philadelphia Phillies until his hiring.[10]
On October 1, 2025, after a 76–86 (.469) 2025 season, the Braves and Brian Snitker mutually agreed to end his managerial tenure with the organization. He will be taking a front office role to remain with the Braves in an advisory capacity. Snitker finished his Braves career with a 811–668 (.548) record and seven postseason appearances, which resulted in a World Series title in 2021. Snitker was named NL Manager of the Year in 2018, leading the Braves to their first NL East division title since 2013.[11] Weiss, the current bench coach, was promoted as the new manager on November 3. He was previously the manager of the Colorado Rockies from 2013–16.[12]
On May 17, 2025, after a 15–28 (.349) start to the season, the Orioles fired Brandon Hyde. Hyde finished his Orioles managerial career with a 421–492 (.461) record with two postseason appearances. Hyde was named AL Manager of the Year in 2023, leading the Orioles to a 100-win season (their first since the 1980 season) and their first AL East division title since 2014. Tony Mansolino was named the interim manager for the remainder of the season. This was Mansolino's first managerial position.[13] Albernaz was hired as the new manager on October 27. This will be his first managerial position.[14]
On May 11, 2025, after a 7–33 (.175) start to the season, the Rockies fired Bud Black. Black finished his Rockies managerial career with a 544–690 (.441) record with two postseason appearances. Warren Schaeffer was named the interim manager for the remainder of the season. This was Schaeffer's first managerial position.[15] On November 24, the Rockies removed the interim tag and named Schaeffer as the new Rockies manager.[citation needed]
On September 30, 2025, after a short 36–38 (.486) 2025 season due to being placed on medical leave on June 27 and undergoing a quadruple bypass heart surgery, the Angels announced that Ron Washington would not return in 2026. Washington finished his Angels career with a 109–137 (.443) record and no postseason appearances.[16] Suzuki was hired as the new manager on October 21. This will be his first managerial position.[17] He has previously served as special assistant to general manager Perry Minasian from 2023 to 2025 after finishing his playing career with the Angels from 2021 and 2022.
On September 29, 2025, after a 70–92 (.432) 2025 season, the Twins announced that Rocco Baldelli would not return in 2026. Baldelli finished his Twins career with a 527–505 (.511) record and three postseason appearances.[18] He won the American League Manager of the Year Award in 2019. Shelton was hired as the new manager on October 30. He was previously the manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates for nearly six years from 2020–25.[19]
On October 13, 2025, after a 90–72 (.556) 2025 season, Shildt announced his retirement, citing the severe toll of the job. Shildt finished his Padres career with a 183–141 (.565) record and two postseason appearances. Shildt was named NL Manager of the Year in 2019, while managing the St. Louis Cardinals.[20] Stammen was hired as the new manager on November 6. He was previously in the Padres organization as an assistant to the major league coaching staff and baseball operations department from 2024 to 2025 after finishing his playing career with the Padres from 2017 to 2022.[21]
On September 29, 2025, after a 81–81 (.500) 2025 season, the Giants fired Bob Melvin. Melvin finished his Giants career with a 161–163 (.497) record and no postseason appearances.[22] Vitello, the coach at Tennessee, was hired as the new manager on October 22. This will be his first managerial position. He is the first individual to transition directly from a college program to managing an MLB team without prior professional coaching experience.[23]
On September 29, 2025, after a 81–81 (.500) 2025 season, the Rangers and Bruce Bochy mutually agreed to end his managerial tenure with the organization. He has been offered a front office role to remain with the Rangers in an advisory capacity. Bochy finished his Rangers career with a 249–237 (.512) record and one postseason appearance, which resulted in a World Series title in 2023.[24] Schumaker was hired as the new manager on October 13.[25] He previously served as the manager for the Miami Marlins from 2023–24 before leaving to become the special advisor to Texas Rangers general manager Chris Young in 2025.
On July 6, 2025, after a 37–53 (.411) start to the season, the Nationals fired Dave Martinez. Martinez finished his Nationals career with a 500–622 (.446) record with one postseason appearance, which resulted in a World Series title in 2019.[9] Miguel Cairo was named interim manager on July 7. This was Cairo's second stint as manager after leading the Chicago White Sox in 2022 with a record of 18–16 (.529).[26] On October 31, Blake Butera was hired as the new permanent manager of the team, making this his first managerial position.[27]
Homered in his first three career regular-season games against the Seattle Mariners, becoming the third player in Major League history to achieve this mark. He joins Trevor Story (2016) and Kyle Lewis in 2019. Story homered in his first four career games.[28]
Homered in his first three career regular-season games against the Milwaukee Brewers, becoming the fourth player in Major League history to achieve this mark. He joins Trevor Story, Kyle Lewis, and Chase DeLauter[28]
Hit his fourth home run of the season on April 4 against the Toronto Blue Jays. The four home runs are the most by a Japanese-born player in his first eight career games.[29]
Tied the Major League record for most consecutive plate appearances to reach base to start a season with ten on March 30 against the Philadelphia Phillies. He is the second player in the live ball era (since 1920) to reach base ten consecutive times to start the season, tying Carlos Delgado of the Toronto Blue Jays who accomplished this feat in 2002.[30]
The Los Angeles Dodgers sold naming rights to its field to fashion company Uniqlo on March 16, renaming the stadium to Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium. It is the first time in the stadium's 64-year history that it has had a naming rights sponsor.[36]
Uniforms
Wholesale changes
The Athletics unveiled a new gold alternate uniform, featuring a "Sacramento" script across the chest. This jersey replaces the existing gold alternate jersey with the "A's" logo featured on the chest.[37]
The Brewers tweaked their primary road uniform, swapping the gray base on the jersey in favor of powder blue. The Brewers become the third team since 2024 to wear colored jerseys as a primary road option following the Seattle Mariners and the Tampa Bay Rays, and the first to wear powder blue as a primary road uniform color since the Kansas City Royals and Montreal Expos in 1991.[38]
The Orioles add a new alternate cap, featuring an orange "B" script lettering from their road uniform inside a black cap with orange brim.[39]
The Marlins unveiled a new teal alternate uniform, harkening back to the team's inaugural color scheme.[40]
The Mariners replaced their retro-inspired cream alternate uniform in favor of a white home uniform based on the uniforms worn by the Negro leagueSeattle Steelheads.[41]
The Twins changed their navy alternate uniform, replacing "MINNESOTA" with the "Twins" script on the chest along with the Minnesota outline replacing the "TC" insignia on the sleeve.[42]
The Tigers unveiled two new alternate uniforms. The home orange alternate featured the white-trimmed navy Old English "D" logo on the left chest, while the road navy alternate featured the white and navy-trimmed orange script "Detroit" wordmark that appears on their primary road uniform. Both uniforms are paired with a navy cap with orange brim featuring the orange Old English "D" logo.[43] These alternates marked the first time since 1995 that the Tigers wore an official alternate uniform (which they only wore for one game), excluding City Connect and one-off themed uniforms.[44]
The Giants updated their black alternate uniform, featuring "GIGANTES" (the Spanish translation of the team name) on the chest, gray accents and a step fret design.[45]
The Dodgers added a blue road alternate uniform with a script "Los Angeles" in front. The Dodgers became the only team with two road alternate uniforms, as they continue to wear a gray road alternate uniform with a script "Los Angeles" on the chest.[46]
Six teams are slated to unveil new City Connect 2.0 uniforms this season.
The Braves' second City Connect uniforms are inspired by the team's uniforms from the 1970s and 1980s, with a baby blue color scheme and white pants, red and blue piping on the sleeves and pants, and the script logo and cap insignia both being white with red outlines. The sleeves feature an "ATL" insignia modeled after the former logo of TBS, in homage to the team's former broadcasts on the station.[47][48]
This also marks the American League's 125th anniversary as a major league. Seven of the league's 15 current franchises date back to 1901.[citation needed]
In February 2025, ESPN and MLB announced that both parties had exercised a mutual opt-out to end their media agreement following the previous 2025 season; this contract was originally going to expire after the 2028 season.[49][50] In November 2025, MLB reached new, three-year agreements with ESPN, NBC Sports, and Netflix to replace ESPN's previous deal.[51][52] NBC Sports will also regain the MLB Sunday Leadoff rights previously held by The Roku Channel; NBC produced those games in 2022 and 2023 before Roku took over them in 2024 and 2025.[53]
This will also be the fifth year of the existing seven-year deals with Fox, TBS, and Apple TV.[54]
Linear television
ESPN will exclusively broadcast 30 games this season, with the network's schedule beginning with a Jackie Robinson Day game before airing a doubleheader on May 7 and then a Memorial Day afternoon game.[55][56][57] ESPN then has weeknight games between June and August on select Mondays (nine games, at least one game every week from June 15 to August 17, excluding August 10), Wednesdays (six games), and Thursdays (four games), one of these games is the second-half opener on July 16. The network will also have a single game on the penultimate Wednesday night of the regular season, September 16, and a doubleheader on the final Wednesday night, September 23. Most of ESPN's summer weeknight games, as well as those on the final two Wednesdays of the season, will have teams to be announced at a later date.[57] The network also retains the rights to the MLB Little League Classic, which will remain in the old Sunday Nigth Baseball primetime window on August 23.[55]
ESPN-produced weekend afternoon games will also air on ABC on June 14, June 27, and August 16.[57][58][59]
Fox will continue to air regional Saturday night Baseball Night in America games throughout the regular season, excluding June 27 and July 11 this year due to the network's coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and September 12 and 19 in deference to college football coverage. The broadcast network will also air the 2026 MLB All-Star Game, and regional Thursday night games on September 17.
FS1 will additionally broadcast games on Saturday afternoons (14 games, with at least one game every week from March 28 to May 30, July 11, and from July 25 to August 22, excluding April 18 and from June 6 to July 4 (due to the 2026 FIFA World Cup) and 18 and August 29 to September 26 (in deference to college football coverage), Monday nights (17 games, with at least one game in every week from March 30 to June 8, excluding Memorial Day), Wednesday nights (two games), and Thursday nights (five games), all of which will be both non-exclusive and co-exist with regional broadcasts.[60][61]
NBC Sports took over the rights to Sunday Night Baseball and MLB Sunday Leadoff from ESPN and The Roku Channel, respectively. Most Sunday Night Baseball games will air on the NBC broadcast network, although it will instead air on Peacock during the early and late portions of the season due to conflicts with Sunday Night Basketball and Sunday Night Football. No Sunday-night games will air during the All-Star break on July 12, or during the MLB Little League Classic on August 23. NBC also aired two Opening Day games, and will air the first round of the 2026 MLB draft, the All-Star Futures Game, Sunday mid-afternoon games from August 23 to September 6, and a primetime Labor Day game. On July 5, an event known as "Star-Spangled Sunday" will be held, in which all games played that day will be exclusive to NBC Sports platforms.
Select games streamed by Peacock are also simulcast by NBCSN.[62][63][64]
TBS will continue to have MLB Tuesday games every Tuesday night throughout the regular season, with the first-half schedule from March 31 to June 30 announced before the season, and the second-half schedule to be announced at a later date. Most games are blacked out in the home markets of the teams playing; however, TBS is allowed to co-exist once with a team's local broadcast.[65][66]
MLB Network will continue to broadcast a regular slate of games when the other national broadcasters are not airing games. While most games will be simulcasts of the teams' local broadcast, select games are produced by the network under its MLB Network Showcase banner. All games are blacked out in the home markets of the teams playing.[67]
UniMás and TUDN will air the weekly whiparound show MLB En Vivo (lit.'MLB Live') on Tuesday nights throughout the season, the weekly studio show MLB Esta Semana (lit.'MLB This Week') on Saturday nights, and postseason coverage.[68]
Peacock simulcasts all national NBC Sports games. The service will also air exclusive MLB Sunday Leadoff games from May 3 to August 30 (the July 5 game will also be carried by NBC as part of "Star-Spangled Sunday"), and exclusive Sunday Night Baseball games on March 29, April 5, and from April 19 to May 24 due to Sunday Night Basketball; and from September 6 to September 20 due to Sunday Night Football. All Peacock-exclusive games are also simulcast on NBCSN. Peacock will also carry supplemental programming, including a whiparound show that will air after Sunday Leadoff and on the final day of the regular season.[51][62]
The ESPN Unlimited and Peacock will each feature a non-exclusive "game of the day", blacked out in local markets.[51][55][62][70]
The ESPN Unlimited, Fox One, and HBO Max's ad-free tiers will simulcast national games shown on ESPN networks (including ABC), Fox Sports (excluding out-of-market Fox games), and TBS respectively.[55][51]
Netflix will air a game on Opening Night, the evening prior to the traditional slate of Opening Day games. The streaming service will also have the MLB at Field of Dreams game and the Home Run Derby.[51]
MLB+, rebranded this season from MLB At Bat, will continue to stream a live stream of MLB Network and air the MLB Big Inning whiparound show.[71][72]
MLB.tv will stream everything on MLB+, along with all out-of-market non-nationally televised games (including out-of-market regional Fox games). Beginning this season, new subscribers to MLB.tv must subscribe through the ESPN app. All subscriptions through the ESPN app will include a free month trial of its Unlimited plan. Existing ESPN Unlimited subscribers get a $15 discount for a yearly MLB.tv subscription.[51][55]
Postseason
During the postseason, NBC Sports (NBC and NBCSN, with Spanish–language simulcasts on Universo) will air all four Wild Card Series.[51][62] TNT Sports (TBS and truTV, with Spanish-language simulcasts on TUDN) will then broadcast the American League Division Series and the American League Championship Series,[65] and Fox Sports (Fox and FS1, with Spanish-language simulcasts on Fox Deportes) will broadcast the National League Division Series, the National League Championship Series and the World Series. Univision will also air Game 1 of the World Series in Spanish.[60]
Personal
NBC's studio team will feature Ahmed Fareed and long-time announcer Bob Costas as hosts alongside analysts Clayton Kershaw, Anthony Rizzo and Joey Votto.[73] On March 4, NBC announced that Jason Benetti will become the lead announcer for Sunday Night Baseball, and will be paired with each local team's analyst during each broadcast.[74] Then on March 11, NBC appointed Matt Vasgersian as the lead announcer for MLB Sunday Leadoff, and will also call NBC's Opening Day game between the Pirates and the Mets.[75]
Local
While the aforementioned ESPN-MLB deal included ESPN assuming the streaming rights to MLB Local Media, these in-market feeds will not be fully integrated into the ESPN app this season and thus viewers will still need to access them directly through MLB's platforms.[76][77]
On March 3, 2025, the Orioles and Nationals reached a settlement to end the teams' dispute over television rights fee payments. MASN, which is owned and operated by the Orioles but airs both teams' games, pays rights fees to the Nationals. Through the settlement, the Nationals' agreement with the Orioles and MASN concluded following the 2025 season.[78] On January 14, 2026, the Nationals announced that they would move to MLB Local Media.[79] In April, the Nationals reached agreement with Fox Television Stations, Gray Media and Capitol Broadcasting to simulcast 10 games on over-the-air stations, with WTTG in Washington serving as the flagship.[80]
On September 8, 2025, the Mets and SNY renewed its agreement with WPIX and Nexstar Media Group to air 30 games per-season on broadcast television, including five spring training games. Outside of New York City, the games will move to Nexstar stations in Albany, Binghamton, Syracuse, Utica, and Hartford.[81][82]
Root Sports, the television home of the Mariners since 1993, announced it would shut down following the 2025 season. MLB Local Media, which produced Mariners games for Root Sports in 2025, will replace Root as the Mariners local broadcaster.[83] The Mariners also announced an agreement with Tegna Inc. (a subsidiary of Nexstar Media Group) to air ten games over-the-air on KING-TV in Seattle, KGW in Portland, KREM in Spokane, and KTVB in Boise.[84]
Prior to the season, Space City Home Network, the television home of the Astros, announced the launch of SCHN+, a direct-to-consumer streaming service costing $19.99 per month or $199.99 annually. The launch means that 2026 will be the first season that every Major League Baseball team has a direct-to-consumer streaming option.[85]
Blue Jays television announcer Buck Martinez announced his retirement on February 6, 2026. Martinez called Blue Jays games as both a play-by-play and color commentator across two stints from 1987 to 2000, and from 2010 to 2025. He also called local television games for the Orioles from 2003 to 2009, and worked national broadcasts on ESPN and TBS, as well as global broadcasts of the World Series on MLB International.[86] On March 14, Sportsnet announced that Joe Siddall will serve as the Blue Jays' primary television analyst, replacing Martinez.[87]
Marlins television analyst Tommy Hutton announced his retirement effective at the end of the 2026 season. Hutton first joined the Marlins broadcast team in 1997, and remained with the team until 2015. He rejoined the Marlins in 2018, initially as a studio analyst, before resuming as a part-time game analyst in 2022. Prior to the Marlins, Hutton also worked for the Montreal Expos, New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays local broadcasts starting in 1982, while also appearing nationally for ESPN, ABC and NBC.[88]
The Nationals promoted Dan Kolko to lead television play-by-play following the retirement of Bob Carpenter. Kolko had previously served as a host and on-field reporter while also occasionally doing play-by-play in Carpenter's absence.[89]
FanDuel Sports Network teams
In December 2025, Main Street Sports Group, the owner of the FanDuel Sports Network (FDSN) regional sports networks, missed a scheduled payment to the St. Louis Cardinals.[90] That same week, the Wall Street Journal reported that DAZN was in advanced talks to acquire a majority stake in Main Street. If the deal went through, DAZN and Main Street would integrate their live streaming platform in the United States and collaborate on programming.[91] Additionally, Sports Business Journal reported that the company would be forced to dissolve operations at the end of the 2025–26 NBA and NHL regular seasons (mid-April) if the deal with DAZN did not go through by the end of January 2026.[92] Days later, SBJ reported that talks with DAZN had stopped progressing and all MLB teams on FDSN except the Rays had not received payments on-time.[93] On January 8, 2026, all nine MLB teams with agreements with Main Street Sports Group terminated their contracts with the company due to missed payments.[94] SBJ reported afterwards that the company would make new offers to all teams.[95]
On February 2, 2026, Sports Business Journal and John Ourand of Puck reported that nearly all of the teams were planning to move to MLB Local Media, but the Los Angeles Angels and Atlanta Braves were undecided and exploring in-house options:[96][97]
The Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals, Miami Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays, Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, and Detroit Tigers confirmed that they would move to MLB Local Media for the 2026 season.[98][99]
Hearst Television reached a new agreement with the Tampa Bay Rays to simulcast 10 games on over-the-air stations, with WMOR-TV in Tampa serving as flagship. The agreement replaces a similar deal last year with WTOG.[100]
The Tigers' agreement with MLB also includes the Detroit Red Wings of the NHL, who are also owned by the Tigers' parent company Ilitch Sports + Entertainment; unlike the Tigers, the Red Wings intend to produce their regional broadcasts in-house, but with MLB Local Media providing production support and distribution for continuity between the two co-owned teams.[101] On March 2, it was announced that both teams' broadcasts would be carried on a joint platform known as Detroit SportsNet.[102][103]
On February 23, 2026, Sports Business Journal reported that the Atlanta Braves were considering a direct-to-distributor model for 2026, and the possibility of scaling the operation into a full-time RSN in partnership with other regional teams.[104] On February 24, 2026, the Atlanta Braves announced a new in-house media operation known as BravesVision in partnership with Gray Media and Raycom Sports.[105] Similarly to the Texas Rangers' Rangers Sports Network, it will distribute broadcasts to television providers within the Braves' regional footprint, and offer a direct-to-consumer streaming option via MLB.tv. The Braves also renewed its agreement with Gray Media to air games on its broadcast television stations (with WPCH-TV as flagship). Gray's Raycom Sports division will handle production for all BravesVision games and the companies' over-the-air stations will air 15 spring training games and 15 regular season games.[106][107][108][107]
On March 9, 2026, the Angels announced that they would acquire FanDuel Sports Network West from Main Street outright. The Angels plan to continue operating the channel as a team-owned RSN, and acquired rights to the NHL's Los Angeles Kings for at least the 2026–27 season.[109][110][111] The Angels are currenty the only former FanDuel Sports Network team to not announce an agreement to simulcast games over-the-air.[112]
International
ESPN will additionally air its slate of games in Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, Oceania and the Netherlands, and will air games through Disney+ in select markets in Asia and Europe.[113]
TNT Sports will additionally air its slate of games in Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.[113]
Fox Sports will additionally air its slate of games in Argentina, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.[113]
MLB Network International will air select games worldwide.
Radio
National
While ESPN's aforementioned opt-out also included ESPN Radio's national radio rights to Major League Baseball, ESPN renegotiated with the league to maintain its existing rights, including Sunday Night Baseball, the All-Star Game, and postseason games.[55][49]
This will be the third season of the league's five-year deal with SiriusXM and SiriusXM Canada to simulcast all 30 teams' local regular season and postseason broadcasts.[114]
Local
Mariners radio announcer Rick Rizzs announced his retirement effective at the end of the 2026 season. Rizzs has been the Mariners' radio announcer starting in 1983, and besides a stint with the Tigers from 1992 to 1994, remained with the Mariners during this period.[115]
Mets radio announcer Howie Rose announced his retirement effective at the end of the 2026 season. Rose has been with the Mets broadcast team since 1987, beginning as a studio host on Mets radio broadcasts before moving to play-by-play on television in 1996, then on radio in 2004. Aside from the Mets, Rose also called National Hockey League games with both the New York Rangers and New York Islanders between 1989 and 2016.[116]
Retirements
The following players and coaches retired during the 2026 season and before the start of the 2027 season:
Miguel Rojas– October 9, 2025 (announced); will retire at the end of the 2026 season[117]
Randy Johnson will have his No.51 retired by the Seattle Mariners on May 2. Johnson will become the fourth Mariners player to have his number retired, and the second time #51 was retired by the team after Ichiro Suzuki was given the same honor the previous season.[119]
Evan Longoria will have his No.3 retired by the Tampa Bay Rays on July 12. This will be the third number retired by the team.[120]
Ozzie Guillen will have his No.13 retired by the Chicago White Sox on August 8. This will be the thirteenth number retired by the White Sox.[121]
Jeff Kent will have his No.21 retired by the San Francisco Giants on August 29. This will be the twelfth number retired by the team.[122]
Carlos Beltrán will have his No.15 retired by the New York Mets on September 19. This will be the ninth number retired by the team.[123]
CC Sabathia will have his No.52 retired by the New York Yankees on September 26. This will be twenty-third number retired by the team.[124]
↑Karp, Austin (August 24, 2025). "MLB short-term media plan coming into focus". Sports Business Journal. [Apple TV+] would not be losing its existing package of Friday night games, which runs through 2028
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