We have arrived at baseball season once again. The 2026 Major League Baseball regular season is poised to kick off seven months of America’s Pastime, and it all begins with one of baseball’s great traditions, Opening Day. 

How to Watch

Watch Sunday Night Baseball on NBC and Peacock.

This season, NBC and Peacock will be bringing you weekly MLB action, including the debut of Sunday Night Baseball and much more, and it all starts with a pair of Opening Day games, including the only primetime baseball of the night. Let’s take a closer look at how to tune in. 

RELATED: The Full 2026 Sunday Night Baseball Schedule

When is MLB Opening Day in 2026?

Though there is a lone “opening night” game airing the day before as a kind of preview, the MLB‘s official Opening Day festivities don’t kick off until the afternoon of Thursday, March 26, with a leadoff game on NBC and Peacock, followed by a massive slate of games throughout the day, culminating in the debut of Sunday Night Baseball that evening. 

Who is playing on MLB Opening Day 2026 on NBC & Peacock?

The Opening Day games for 2026 on NBC and Peacock will feature the Pittsburgh Pirates vs. New York Mets, and the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks.

How to watch MLB Opening Day action on NBC and Peacock

Though the headlining event of Opening Day is a special Thursday edition of Sunday Night Baseball, that’s not actually where NBC’s baseball day begins. The network will also host the very first televised game of the day at 1:15 p.m. Eastern, when the Pittsburgh Pirates head to New York City to start their season against the New York Mets. You’ll be able to catch that game live on NBC, and streaming simultaneously on Peacock. 

Then, as the sun goes down, the stage is set for primetime MLB action. Sunday Night Baseball Opening Day special features the defending World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers beginning their season at home, hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks in a marquee matchup that sets the tone for the rest of the season. That game begins at 8:30 p.m. Eastern, live on NBC and streaming on Peacock. And be sure to tune in early to catch pregame coverage recapping the day’s action and looking ahead to the primetime matchup. 

RELATED: Major League Baseball Leagues and Divisions, Explained

Who’s hosting NBC’s MLB Opening Day coverage?

To ring in the return of baseball, NBC Sports has put together a team of all-star talent that includes broadcast legends and baseball icons. Leading the charge is the great Bob Costas, a longtime voice for both NBC Sports and Major League Baseball, who’ll be on hand in Los Angeles on Opening Day to handle pregame duties as the Diamondbacks and Dodgers prepare to face off.

Joining Costas on Sunday Night Baseball coverage is a team that includes play-by-play announcer Jason Benetti, as well as analysis from MLB legends including Clayton Kershaw, Anthony Rizzo, Joey Votto, and more. 

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