NBCU sets MLB schedule with more than 60 games across NBC, Peacock

SCOTTSDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 22: The MLB logo on a base before the MLB Spring Training baseball game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies on February 22, 2025 at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire)

The new era of baseball on NBC will begin in New York and Los Angeles on Opening Day.

NBCUniversal will carry 61 Major League Baseball games in the coming 2026 season, starting with an Opening Day doubleheader of Pirates-Mets at 1 PM ET and Diamondbacks-Dodgers in primetime, it was announced Friday. Those will be the first of 20 total games on the NBC broadcast network, which is airing a full-time MLB schedule for the first time since 1989. (NBC carried a handful of regular season windows as part of “The Baseball Network” in 1994 and 1995, aired only the playoffs and All-Star Game from 1996-2000, and simulcast a pair of Peacock games in 2022 and 2023.)

The schedule includes 27 primetime games, primarily on Sunday nights as part of the “Sunday Night Baseball” package that previously belonged to ESPN.

“Sunday Night Baseball” will debut March 29 with Guardians-Mariners on Peacock and NBCSN. Because of its NBA commitments, NBC will carry “Sunday Night Baseball” only once before May 31 — Guardians-Braves on April 12. (NBC’s “Sunday Night Basketball” package is off that week because it is the final night of the NBA season, which contractually belongs to ESPN.) The MLB schedule confirms that NBC will air Sunday night NBA games through the conference finals.

In the event that there are no NBA games on a certain Sunday night during the playoffs, “Sunday Night Baseball” would move up to NBC.

Starting May 31, “Sunday Night Baseball” will air on NBC in all-but-two weeks until the start of the NFL season. MLB will again skip the Sunday night preceding All-Star Weekend on July 12, and ESPN has the MLB Little League Classic in its traditional Sunday night slot on August 23, leaving NBC with a Sunday afternoon window that week (Giants-Red Sox at 3 PM ET).

In addition to “Sunday Night Baseball,” NBCU also acquired the “MLB Sunday Leadoff” package of Sunday afternoon games as part of its new rights deal. Those games will air exclusively on Peacock (with most of those simulcast on NBCSN) — except for Mets-Braves on July 5, which will also air on NBC as part of a day-long marathon of MLB on NBC and Peacock.

Beyond Opening Day and the weekly Sunday games, NBC will also carry a primetime game on Labor Day as part of its deal. That game will pit the Cardinals against the Giants.

“Sunday Night Baseball” will usually start at 7 PM ET, with a couple of games set for 8 PM — Giants-Cubs on June 7 and Astros-Padres on August 9. The “Sunday Leadoff” games will all begin at Noon ET or later, eliminating the morning start times that had been common for the package.

NBC will also air coverage of the MLB Draft on Saturday, July 11, which will take place at 1:30 PM ET. NBCU will not carry games on the final day of the regular season this year, but will do so starting in 2027. For this season, the final day will feature whiparound coverage on NBCSN and Peacock.

NBC’s announcement of its full “Sunday Night Baseball” schedule is a stark contrast from the norm when the package aired on ESPN. Sunday night game selections were typically made as the season progressed. But it is in keeping with the practice of fellow broadcast network FOX, which usually releases its full schedule at the start of the season.

Additional game selections for the new season include the Yankees-Giants Opening Night game on Netflix March 25 and a Mets-Dodgers game on ESPN April 15.

Tags: MLB on NBC/Peacock MLB Schedule News

Al Michaels returning for another season of “Thursday Night Football”

Jon Lewis

Jon Lewis has been covering the sports media industry on a daily basis since 2006 as the founder and main writer of Sports Media Watch. You can contact him here or on the social media websites X (Twitter) or Bluesky.

New York, NY - June 8, 2026 - Madison Square Garden: Pat McAfee during game three of the 2026 NBA Finals.
(Photo by Marcus Stevens / ESPN Images)

News: Pat McAfee, MLB, Miami Heat and more

by Derek Futterman

6 days ago

Pat McAfee could reportedly receive a lucrative contract extension from ESPN; MLB players are reportedly "less enamored" with MLB...

News: Duke-Michigan, Peacock, NFL Network and more

by Derek Futterman

2 weeks ago

The Duke-Michigan neutral-site college basketball game is reportedly expected to move to Miami; Peacock is going to reach profitability...

2YMP04D The National Football League West Coast Office is located outside of Sofi Stadium in Inglewood CA, in the Los Angeles suburbs.

News: NFL, Scripps-DirecTV, Russell Wilson and more

by Derek Futterman

2 weeks ago

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has reportedly been asked to testify on the SBA and its impact on the sports...

News: NFL International Series, Versant, NBC Sports and more

by Derek Futterman

4 weeks ago

NFL owners approve more international games starting in 2027; Versant CEO Mark Lazarus discusses the company's approach to sports...

Comments 36

JEFF E HIRSCHMAN says:

5 months ago

No Bluejays games even though they are the AL Champs.
- Rick James Bible Owner says:
  
  5 months ago
  
  The Blue Jays are on Sunday Night Baseball once (September 6 vs the Royals), with 4 other Leadoff peacock games before that (@Twins May 3, vs. Pirates May 24, @Orioles May 31, vs White Sox July 19, not counting the ALCS rematch July 5 when everyone’s on peacock). If they sign another butt-kicker like Kyle Tucker, they should get some more national shine South of Their Border. Hopefully they get a game picked up or two, which could happen.
  - JEFF E HIRSCHMAN says:
    
    5 months ago
    
    Thanks I missed the one game on Sunday night baseball.
    I don’t count the leadoff games.
  - JEFF E HIRSCHMAN says:
    
    5 months ago
    
    Also the September 6th game is on peacock not NBC.
    - Rick James Bible Owner says:
      
      5 months ago
      
      Right, Notre Dame-Wisconsin (from Lambeau Field) is on NBC that night. ABC might have a game opposite it (maybe not AnOSU-Texas), but they’ll probably have a name brand college football game on as well.
Richard W says:

5 months ago

It’s not a bad lineup and a hell of a lot more games than I had first thought and don’t forget the wild card round of games too that NBC will be televising in October 2026, possibly at least three of those four series, two for sure, my best guestimate.
AF says:

5 months ago

Any idea if the daily national Peacock games will be carried on NBCSN or will they remain exclusive to Peacock?
- Wyatt Smith says:
  
  5 months ago
  
  Most will be simulcast on NBCSN, unless it has other commitments, but with NBCSN Alt 2 and 3 coming, I don’t see Peacock keeping as much exclusivity on games, but certain content will remain exclusive to the streaming service
- Roshan Raj Singh says:
  
  5 months ago
  
  The “daily national Peacock game” is basically just one out-of-market game that’s also already on MLB.TV and the teams’ own streaming options. Since it’s not a Peacock exclusive, it wouldn’t be on NBCSN.
  
  As a general rule – if game is nationally streamed on Peacock exclusively with no local telecasts and without the main NBC channel then the games will also be on NBCSN… Most of the time.
Jeff Hirschman says:

5 months ago

If you go on the MLB website most Sunday night games start at 7:20 pm.et
Roshan Raj Singh says:

5 months ago

After going through NBC’s schedule, it honestly feels way more serious than I expected — like they’re giving MLB way more importance than what ESPN used to.
20 games on NBC is already more than I thought we’d get, and the more I look at their Sunday setup, the more I feel like it can actually work: Sunday Leadoff → whip-around show → Sunday Night Baseball. Add to that Peacock doing one out-of-market game every day, and it just makes MLB feel like something you can turn on daily without thinking too much.

The scheduling also feels pretty smart around conflicts. Like Aug 23 — SNB isn’t really possible because of ESPN’s Little League Classic, so NBC just pivots to a 3pm start. Same idea on Sep 6 because of the Notre Dame primetime commitment, they go early again.

stly, part of me wishes they leaned into the early-window approach more often to dodge NBA/NFL conflicts and still keep Sunday baseball on NBC every week. I know September doesn’t really stand a chance because of the NFL, but still… more broadcast TV is always better. Even in April and May, depending on how the NBA playoff afternoon windows fall, they could’ve grabbed more 3pm slots — and I think John basically confirmed they can add extra NBC games if those primetime windows open up.

Only caveat is that I hope flexing of games is part of the deal because many of those late season games can become stale very quickly if the teams are out of post-season contention.

Overall, it doesn’t feel like NBC is just “airing MLB.” It feels like they’re trying to attach real importance to it — way more than ESPN.
- Wyatt Smith says:
  
  5 months ago
  
  To me this is one of the best schedules I get from MLB, since I first started watching MLB in the 2014 deal and that was only with about 12 games on broadcast tv in general (all on Saturday night regional windows on Fox), and only the World Series on broadcast television, and over the years Fox has improved on how many windows they get, and now getting another broadcast tv partner on a regular basis and airing games nationally makes it great, however I wish they started games at 8 pm et to maintain constantly with all their other sports for Sundays (and possibly air more of those late afternoon doubleheaders during summer when nothing else is airing and that mid afternoon slot can be used as a backup for when NBC has other primetime commitments, and great job for NBC to fill up its Sunday night schedule with sports year round (with a few exceptions, like on NFL divisional round weekend, unless it gets that prime 6:40 pm et window next weekend for the first time, making a broadcaster outside of Fox or CBS getting it), one thing I hope to see when ESPN releases their schedule is more ABC games, since the lack of it when it had SNB was my 1 downside, and with midweek games I believe ESPN would have more flexibility to air games on ABC (especially during daytime in summer) as it pleases, yes we lose Wild card series on ABC, but NBC will make up for it (and streaming on a cheaper service Peacock than ESPN DTC)
  - Roshan Raj Singh says:
    
    5 months ago
    
    I can’t even imagine a baseball season with just 12 games on network TV, and I genuinely think that 2014 deal played a major role in the decline of baseball’s national popularity and how much more regional it’s felt since then. Yeah, cable was still strong in the middle of the last decade and there were plenty of games on FS1 and ESPN, but the lack of real national windows on Fox and other OTA networks was a big setback to the sport’s broader appeal.
    
    Thankfully since 2022, Fox has increased its windows substantially and last year had 26-27 games. 20 Games on NBC on top of this increase will further help.
    
    I also agree with the point regarding ABC, MLB in its long standing relationship with ESPN never really pushed it for more games on ABC particularly when ABC Sports got dissolved and all sports programming on the network was basically done by ESPN. MLB had great opportunity to at least have some SNB or mid-week games on it but it never did. Finally when the relationship started turning sower, then ABC became involved in postseason games and that to during afternoon slate with no primetime windows. However I do believe ABC’s disastrous involvement in TBN in mid-90’s had a major cause and still lingers as a nightmare. And to be honest I don’t have any hope of getting ABC games particularly when ESPN is no longer involved in Postseason Baseball. But I would love to be wrong.
    
    I know great Joe Buck will call the first game of the season on ESPN and would love to hear wonderfully talented Sean McDonough for lot more games, he was also awesome during the last year’s Wild Card round. I have only heard him on Youtube calling for CBS in early 90’s and he sounded masterful even back then.
    
    ESPN on the whole has such a great pool of talent but it still chooses to continue with current team of commentators. If it plans to have some sort of return on its investment and a legacy for its coverage. ESPN should overhaul its coverage and change the booth composition.
    
    Additionally I concur regarding adding more Sunday afternoon slots on NBC particularly during Summers, MLB could have lot more doubleheaders on it to make up for lost games because of NBA/NFL but as the things stands- it is what it is.
JEFF E HIRSCHMAN says:

5 months ago

Jon, Will Mike Tirico being doing any baseball games?
- Jon Lewis says:
  
  5 months ago
  
  Nothing announced yet, but it wouldn’t surprise me.
- DK says:
  
  5 months ago
  
  Hope not
Fred W says:

5 months ago

I hope Skenes doesn’t have a setback in spring training because that’s the only reason to tune into that Mets opener. I also never understood why MLB doesn’t set their schedules after the playoff concluded like every other league. The Dodgers-Jays World Series rematch is kinda wasted in early April in a weekday series.
- Nate Johnson says:
  
  5 months ago
  
  It helps a lot with ticket sales. 81 home games is a lot of tickets to sales and packages to offer to the interested sellers. They also have around 35-50K range of tickets to sell per game. Facing the challenges of football, basketball, holiday, and tax season taking so much away attention, why not maximize the time you have to make the most you can get.
  
  Meanwhile the NBA (they’re always compared to the MLB) receives plenty of revenue from the TV deals (unlike the MLB right now and perhaps in the near future) and also has a smaller capacity crowd at their venue which could brings a less urgency to the ticket sellers of their event. So it’s apples to oranges process for the MLB compared to other major professional sporting leagues.
JEAN H PIERRE says:

5 months ago

Really excited about this new agreement. I wonder who’s going to be the studio host for the baseball? There’s a lot of good young announcers out there doing local stuff that will do awesome work.
- Jon Lewis says:
  
  5 months ago
  
  Has to be Ahmed Fareed. He hosted the MLB Sunday Leadoff.
ESL says:

5 months ago

I really am impressed at how much NBC is investing in this schedule. They are committed to make this feel like a big event. MLB has had very little national “big game” feel to its regular season since the days of the Saturday Game of the Week on NBC or Monday Night Baseball on ABC. Fox has always provided that “regional” coverage that doesnt really separate from other games. This NBC will give some buzz to the regular season. While it is risky to have the full Sunday Night schedule announced, it is better for the fans. There is a risk you can get a matchup that has no meaning, but, with the amount of teams making the playoffs, it will be very minimal. While I like the July 5 “baseball day” marathon, I think NBC (or Fox) should have a national game on 4th of July. I always thought having the Washington Nationals host a game 11am et on 4th of July would be great for the game. Start the 4th of July in the nations capital. Have Hall of Fame players read the declaration of independence. Put the game on national broadcast tv. Baseball is the one sport that doesnt have a holiday. I know they will be on Labor Day, but that is more now college football. 4th of July they have to themselves.
ThePAMan says:

5 months ago

Please take John Schriffen off of White Sox fans’ hands, NBC! We beg you!
JCiLee says:

5 months ago

Presumably the April and May SNB games scheduled for Peacock could get bumped up to NBC if an NBA playoff game originally scheduled ends up not happening due to a series wrapping up early?
- Jon Lewis says:
  
  5 months ago
  
  Yes — NBC confirmed that to me today. I’ll update to note.
Nate Johnson says:

5 months ago

Paul Skenes (projected starter) for the Pirates on the first NBC game of the season vs. the Mets is awesome to see as a baseball fan. The reigning NL Cy Young winner having a Nationally Televised start, even in a daytime slot during a weekday, is better than anything else. NBC already off to a terrific start with that.

Seems like NBC is making this partnership work which was something I envisioned last February when ESPN opted out of the SNB deal. I knew NBC would be a terrific partner and a better partner than ESPN for the SNB coverage.

I see they have interest in Jason Benetti and Kevin Brown as the top voices of their MLB coverages. Bennetti to me is an honor to have on the Tigers broadcast, but I honestly believe he’s a far better fit on National Broadcasts. Kevin Brown I believe is qualified to call national games as well. With so many terrific play-by-play voices the MLB has nationally, I really do hope the in-game analysts begins to catch up and keep pace. I believe FOX and TNT Sports are well set in that department, but once I look at ESPN is when things get murky and then I dig deeper into the local analysts and that’s where I’m very concerned because the harvest is not plenty which is unfortunate for the workers.

Finding a terrific in-game analyst while also building a studio team will be a challenge for NBC, but to me those are later things to focus critically on, right now I believe they’re starting off right with the play-by-play voice interest and their schedules.
Rick James Bible Owner says:

5 months ago

Even though I preferred the ability to not have a set SNB schedule in the 2nd half so America isn’t stuck with a lemon, certainty for those traveling to a Sunday night game is a welcomed trade-off. Still, one team expected to compete falls by the wayside every season (I’m sure it’s a coincidence the Tigers don’t have a Sunday night game after May 10). America gets a guaranteed Skenes start March 26. I’m surprised Braves-Phillies September 6 is OTA before NBC hands over the keys to Notre Dame-Wisconsin. I won’t quibble with the September Sunday night games; no sense competing with yourself if you’re NBCU, but….pray the Giants and Orioles are within shouting distance of a Wild Card. Otherwise, this is fine.
- dx says:
  
  5 months ago
  
  I would imagine there is some scope for flex scheduling in June-September if necessary, but I can also believe that MLB and the MLBPA want more selections in advance going-forward in order to make team travel logistics easier since Sunday is always normally the end of a series.
- Roshan Singh says:
  
  5 months ago
  
  I think just like ESPN, they will be allowed to flex their schedule.
  - Rick James Bible Owner says:
    
    5 months ago
    
    Hopefully so. Not having a set 2nd half schedule last year allowed ESPN to pick up a few Tarik Skubal starts, and the bump up in ratings reflected those starts. Heck, even more people than normal got to see and appreciate Byron Buxton (due to the Twins’s on-and-off field struggles and his own struggles to stay healthy). Buxton gets his national shine in Dyersville (if he’s not traded before), but I’m sure NBCU has a desire to get the best matchups and some names only seen in boxscores June-August over the air if a team or two struggles from this initial schedule. September? Maybe. They’re competing with themselves on Sunday nights now, though. Again, hopefully so.
Ryan P Strnad says:

5 months ago

I wish they’d have back-up games.
DK says:

5 months ago

Will snb games be on ncbsn?
Dk says:

5 months ago

The Mets/Pirates and Dodgers/Diamondbacks are nbc exclusives on opening day or will they also be on Sny and Dodgers television and blacked out in select areas? I’m guessing we’ll see lots of Sunday night games on can right?
- DK says:
  
  5 months ago
  
  Meant will snb games be on can too?
- dx says:
  
  5 months ago
  
  I believe all of NBC’s games are nationally exclusive.
  - Jtk1 says:
    
    5 months ago
    
    What I think will happen, is games on NBC will be nationally televised, while Peacock games will also be shown on local RSN, and on the package, like the backup FOX game is.
    - Roshan Raj Singh says:
      
      5 months ago
      
      I think since it is replacement of ESPN and Roku’s old package, exclusivity will also play out in same manner. And games on both were indeed exclusive with no local RSN coverage.