The national broadcast teams for MLB coverage are starting to take shape with the regular season on the horizon.
Netflix announced Wednesday that MLB Network host and play-by-play announcer Matt Vasgersian will call its MLB Opening Night telecast alongside analysts CC Sabathia and Hunter Pence and reporter Lauren Shehadi.
News of Vasgersian’s role was first reported by this website Tuesday. Vasgersian was also announced Wednesday as a play-by-play voice for NBC’s MLB games, as first reported by Andrew Marchand of The Athletic, including the network’s Opening Day matinee less than 24 hours after the Netflix broadcast.
Vasgersian is also slated to call several “MLB Sunday Leadoff” games on Peacock. It remains unknown if he will call games for NBC Sports within the Wild Card Round of the MLB postseason. Despite his expanded national presence, Vasgersian will continue his role at MLB Network, which has primarily included play-by-play of “Showcase” games and hosting editions of “MLB Tonight” in the regular season.
As for the rest of the Netflix broadcast team, Sabathia has appeared in studio on occasion for YES Network and MLB Network since retiring from baseball in the 2019 season. Pence has called select Giants road games on NBC Sports Bay Area, and previously served as a game analyst for Apple TV and a studio analyst for MLB Network and ESPN. Shehadi regularly appears on MLB Network and “MLB on TBS” broadcasts.
Netflix will also have pregame and postgame coverage of the game hosted by former ESPN “SportsCenter” anchor Elle Duncan, who officially joined Netflix on a full-time basis last December and debuted earlier this year on the “Skyscraper Live” broadcast. Earlier in the year, Duncan’s agent confirmed that she would also host coverage of the Home Run Derby on Netflix.
Duncan will work alongside former World Series champions Albert Pujols and Anthony Rizzo. Pujols has appeared on MLB Network over the last three seasons, beginning his time on the air upon being named a special assistant to the Commissioner. While Pujols retired from baseball after the 2022 season, Rizzo did not step away from the game until last September, formally retiring as a member of the Chicago Cubs. Rizzo joined NBC Sports earlier this year and will serve as a pregame analyst for Wild Card coverage and select “Sunday Night Baseball” regular-season games.
NBC Sports has not announced any game analyst talent, as it plans to use analysts with connections to the participating teams for its broadcasts of “Sunday Leadoff” and “Sunday Night Baseball.” The network previously named Jason Benetti its lead MLB play-by-play voice.
As previously announced, Bob Costas will host on-site pregame coverage leading into “Sunday Night Baseball” broadcasts on NBC. The responsibility is part of an emeritus role under which he has returned to the company following an eight-year absence. In addition to Rizzo, Costas will work with former MLB SP Clayton Kershaw and 1B Joey Votto throughout the season. Ahmed Fareed will also be a host on NBC’s MLB coverage.
Apple TV announced that its “Friday Night Baseball” commentary teams will return for the 2026 season. The broadcast pairings on doubleheaders have generally consisted of Wayne Randazzo, Dontrelle Willis and Heidi Watney on one game, with Alex Faust, Ryan Spilborghs and Tricia Whitaker on the other. Rich Waltz is also returning to call select games throughout the season.
MLB coverage on TBS will continue to feature Brian Anderson, Alex Faust, Ron Darling and Jeff Francoeur. The studio show is also coming back with Shehadi and Adam Lefkoe as hosts alongside analysts Pedro Martinez, Curtis Granderson and Jimmy Rollins. Prior to the season, Francoeur and Rollins signed multiyear extensions with TNT Sports.
ESPN and Fox Sports have not yet made formal announcements about their broadcast teams for the 2026 MLB season.
