Major League Baseball’s return to NBC in 2026 comes with a full-season national schedule across NBC, Peacock, and NBCSN, headlined by Sunday Night Baseball, MLB Sunday Leadoff, a league-wide July 5 showcase branded “Star-Spangled Sunday”, and postseason coverage that includes the MLB Wild Card Series.
With marquee matchups and event windows locked in months ahead of Opening Day, the rollout also signals a shift from the month-to-month selection approach fans were used to under ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball era.
NBC Sports Press Box announced their game time schedule for the 2026 Major League Baseball season on January 9.
Major League Baseball Returns to NBC and Peacock on March 26!
The schedule: https://t.co/ryhb5m19rR pic.twitter.com/KsXxgBbSHw
— NBC Sports PR (@NBCSportsPR) January 9, 2026
NBC and Peacock will televise Sunday Night Baseball and MLB Sunday Leadoff during the 2026 season.
MLB Sunday Leadoff begins on May 3 on Peacock and NBCSN, when the American League Champion, Toronto Blue Jays go on the road against the Minnesota Twins. After the Leadoff Games there will be a Sunday Afternoon Whip-Around Show, including a Special Final Day of Regular-Season Whip-Around Show on September 27, televised on Peacock and NBCSN.
All 15 games on July 5 will have a special “Star-Spangled Sunday” event on NBCU platforms.
According to the NBC Sports press release, “Spanish-Language Coverage for all NBCU-Produced Games: Universo will televise all games broadcast on NBC, and SAP will be provided for all games on Peacock.”
The World Series Champion, Los Angeles Dodgers will raise their title banner and host their National League West Division Rival, the Arizona Diamondbacks at 8 p.m. ET on March 26 on NBC and Peacock and the New York Mets will play at Citi Field on the same date against the Pittsburgh Pirates at 1 p.m. ET on both the exact channels for NBC and Peacock.
NBC Sunday Night MLB Schedule For 2026 Season
NBC will air 20 games in 2026, including two Opening Day matchups and Sunday Night Baseball! pic.twitter.com/Y3sV7BP9ee
— MLB (@MLB) January 9, 2026
Date |
Time (ET) |
Game |
Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
March 26* |
1 p.m. |
Pittsburgh Pirates at N.Y. Mets |
NBC/Peacock |
March 26* |
8 p.m. |
Arizona Diamondbacks at L.A. Dodgers |
NBC/Peacock |
March 29 |
7 p.m. |
Cleveland Guardians at Seattle Mariners |
Peacock |
April 5 |
7 p.m. |
St. Louis Cardinals at Detroit Tigers |
Peacock |
April 12 |
7 p.m. |
Cleveland Guardians at Atlanta Braves |
NBC/Peacock |
April 19 |
7 p.m. |
Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies |
Peacock |
April 26 |
7 p.m. |
L.A. Angels at Kansas City Royals |
Peacock |
May 3 |
7 p.m. |
Texas Rangers at Detroit Tigers |
Peacock |
May 10 |
7 p.m. |
Detroit Tigers at Kansas City Royals |
Peacock |
May 17 |
7 p.m. |
San Diego Padres at Seattle Mariners |
Peacock |
May 24 |
7 p.m. |
Texas Rangers at L.A. Angels |
Peacock |
May 31 |
7 p.m. |
Chicago Cubs at St. Louis Cardinals |
NBC/Peacock |
June 7 |
8 p.m. |
San Francisco Giants at Chicago Cubs |
NBC/Peacock |
June 14 |
7 p.m. |
Texas Rangers at Boston Red Sox |
NBC/Peacock |
June 21 |
7 p.m. |
N.Y. Mets at Philadelphia Phillies |
NBC/Peacock |
June 28 |
7 p.m. |
N.Y. Yankees at Boston Red Sox |
NBC/Peacock |
July 5** |
12:30 p.m. |
N.Y. Mets at Atlanta Braves |
NBC/Peacock |
July 5 |
7 p.m. |
San Diego Padres at L.A. Dodgers |
NBC/Peacock |
July 19 |
7 p.m. |
L.A. Dodgers at N.Y. Yankees |
NBC/Peacock |
July 26 |
7 p.m. |
N.Y. Yankees at Philadelphia Phillies |
NBC/Peacock |
August 2 |
7 p.m. |
Boston Red Sox at L.A. Dodgers |
NBC/Peacock |
August 9 |
8 p.m. |
Houston Astros at San Diego Padres |
NBC/Peacock |
August 16 |
7 p.m. |
Seattle Mariners at Houston Astros |
NBC/Peacock |
August 23 |
3 p.m. |
San Francisco Giants at Boston Red Sox |
NBC/Peacock |
August 30 |
3 p.m. |
Cincinnati Reds at Chicago Cubs |
NBC/Peacock |
August 30 |
7 p.m. |
Houston Astros at N.Y. Mets |
NBC/Peacock |
Sept. 6 |
3 p.m. |
Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies |
NBC/Peacock |
Sept. 6 |
7 p.m. |
Toronto Blue Jays at Kansas City Royals |
Peacock |
Sept. 7*** |
8 p.m. |
St. Louis Cardinals at San Francisco Giants |
NBC/Peacock |
Sept. 13 |
7 p.m. |
San Diego Padres at San Francisco Giants |
Peacock |
Sept. 20 |
7 p.m. |
Milwaukee Brewers at Baltimore Orioles |
Peacock |
* Opening Day (Thursday) ** Also on MLB Sunday Leadoff schedule (below) *** Labor Day (Monday)
2026 MLB Sunday Leadoff Schedule
Date |
Time (ET) |
Game |
Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
May 3 |
12:30 p.m. |
Toronto Blue Jays at Minnesota Twins |
Peacock |
May 10 |
Noon |
Washington Nationals at Miami Marlins |
Peacock |
May 17 |
Noon |
Miami Marlins at Tampa Bay Rays |
Peacock |
May 24 |
Noon |
Pittsburgh Pirates at Toronto Blue Jays |
Peacock |
May 31 |
Noon |
Toronto Blue Jays at Baltimore Orioles |
Peacock |
June 7 |
3 p.m. |
Washington Nationals at Arizona Diamondbacks |
Peacock |
June 14 |
Noon |
Miami Marlins at Pittsburgh Pirates |
Peacock |
June 21 |
3 p.m. |
Minnesota Twins at Arizona Diamondbacks |
Peacock |
June 28 |
3 p.m. |
Athletics at L.A. Angels |
Peacock |
July 5 |
12:30 p.m. |
N.Y. Mets at Atlanta Braves |
NBC/Peacock |
July 12 |
Noon |
Milwaukee Brewers at Pittsburgh Pirates |
Peacock |
July 19 |
Noon |
Chicago White Sox at Toronto Blue Jays |
Peacock |
July 26 |
Noon |
Cleveland Guardians at Tampa Bay Rays |
Peacock |
August 2 |
3 p.m. |
Milwaukee Brewers at L.A. Angels |
Peacock |
August 9 |
Noon |
Cincinnati Reds at Washington Nationals |
Peacock |
August 16 |
Noon |
Baltimore Orioles at Tampa Bay Rays |
Peacock |
August 23 |
4 p.m. |
Cincinnati Reds at Arizona Diamondbacks |
Peacock |
August 30 |
Noon |
Miami Marlins at Washington Nationals |
Peacock |
NBC Sports July 5 MLB “Star-Spangled Sunday” Schedule – All Start Times EDT
Time |
Game |
Platforms |
|---|---|---|
12:30 p.m.* |
N.Y. Mets at Atlanta Braves |
NBC/Peacock |
1 p.m. |
Pittsburgh Pirates at Washington Nationals |
Peacock |
1 p.m. |
Baltimore Orioles at Cincinnati Reds |
Peacock |
1:30 p.m. |
Minnesota Twins at New York Yankees |
Peacock |
2 p.m. |
Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Guardians |
Peacock |
2:30 p.m. |
St. Louis Cardinals at Chicago Cubs |
Peacock |
3 p.m. |
Philadelphia Phillies at Kansas City Royals |
Peacock |
3:30 p.m. |
Detroit Tigers at Texas Rangers |
Peacock |
3:30 p.m. |
Tampa Bay Rays at Houston Astros |
Peacock |
4:00 p.m. |
San Francisco Giants at Colorado Rockies |
Peacock |
4:00 p.m. |
Milwaukee Brewers at Arizona Diamondbacks |
Peacock |
4:30 p.m. |
Miami Marlins at Athletics |
Peacock |
5:00 p.m. |
Toronto Blue Jays at Seattle Mariners |
Peacock |
7 p.m. ** |
San Diego Padres at L.A. Dodgers |
NBC/Peacock |
9:30 p.m. |
Boston Red Sox at Los Angeles Angels |
Peacock |
*MLB Sunday Leadoff **Sunday Night Baseball
NBC Sports announced the return of MLB action on November 19.
Baseball is BACK on NBC and streaming on Peacock! ⚾️
It all starts March 26 in Los Angeles when the Dodgers raise their 2025 World Series championship banner.
Learn more: https://t.co/tej7PEc7WK pic.twitter.com/7YidMMICHd
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) November 19, 2025
Logistics of the Television Rights Agreement with NBC and MLB
Twenty-five Sunday Night Baseball games per season. When available, games will air on NBC, otherwise, games will air on NBCSN and Peacock.
Eighteen MLB Sunday Leadoff games per season. Games will primarily air on NBCSN and Peacock, with select games airing on NBC.
All games from the MLB Wild Card round on NBC, NBCSN and Peacock.
All MLB games played on Sunday, July 5, 2026, will air on NBC or Peacock.
Yearly primetime Labor Day and Opening Day games on NBC and Peacock.
Daily out-of-market games on Peacock.
Coverage of the MLB Draft and the All-Star Futures Game on NBC and Peacock.
A Sunday afternoon whiparound show on Peacock following MLB Sunday Leadoff.
Beginning in 2027, the most important game on the final day of the regular season on NBC or Peacock.
Beginning in 2027, a yearly special event game on NBC and Peacock.
According to MLB.com, “ for the 2026 season, NBCUniversal will also gain a presence during All-Star Week. The MLB Draft will move to the Saturday of All-Star Week where NBC and Peacock will present the first hour of the event. Peacock/NBCSN and MLB Network will carry the remainder of the first round. NBC and Peacock also will present the Futures Game, a game featuring baseball’s future stars who are the top players in Minor League Baseball on All-Star Sunday. That game will be followed by a new event that will feature former players and celebrities which will be streamed on Peacock.”
MLB categorized NBC coverage on NBCSN and Peacock.
Here are highlights of MLB’s new agreement with NBC, NBCSN and Peacock https://t.co/g9cB11215O pic.twitter.com/tpDl8iK5bm
— MLB (@MLB) November 19, 2025
MLBPipeline listed on of the information for NBC’s coverage for the 2026 MLB Draft on July 11 and the Futures Game on July 12.
Broadcast schedule for the 2026 MLB Draft and Futures Game! pic.twitter.com/c5sdMuoFax
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) November 19, 2025
MLB.com also stated, “that Peacock will regain rights to MLB’s Sunday Leadoff game, which it carried for the 2022-23 seasons. Sunday Leadoff will be a package of 18 games that start prior to or around Noon locally on Sundays and will also be simulstreamed on NBCSN. Sunday Leadoff will be followed by MLB Network-produced studio coverage of the full day of games which will lead into Sunday Night Baseball on NBC and Peacock, or NBCSN and Peacock. Peacock will also regularly feature a game of the day, which will be available to fans outside of the markets of the Clubs competing.”
MLB surfaced the new agreement with ESPN, back on November 19, 2025.
Here are highlights of MLB’s new agreement with ESPN https://t.co/g9cB11215O pic.twitter.com/XlMTNcUqNN
— MLB (@MLB) November 19, 2025
NBC Sports will replace Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN, after the massive sports platform held that time frame with the MLB since the 1990 season.
ESPN public relations stated on November 19, that they will add exclusive local in-market rights to 6 MLB franchises and a 30-game exclusive package.
ESPN & MLB reach fan-focused new agreement ft. national & local rights collection
In '26, ESPN becomes exclusive https://t.co/nTuigP01TM rights holder (incl. thousands of games every season)
Plus, exclusive local in-market rights to 6 #MLB Clubs & a 30-game exclusive package… pic.twitter.com/1aFor6YEEt
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) November 19, 2025
Reddit reactions: fans notice the NBC vs. Peacock split, schedule diversity, and flex questions
Early reaction on r/baseball centered on the perceived “two-tier” feel of the package, with big-draw matchups more common on NBC-branded windows while Peacock carries a broader rotation. Fans also pointed out how unusual it is to see the full Sunday night slate published this far in advance, which immediately sparked questions about whether late-season games can be flexed if teams fall out of contention. Another recurring theme: international/Canadian viewing logistics, especially with Toronto appearing in multiple Peacock windows.
u/Icy-Refrigerator-517: “There’s a clear dichotomy between the NBC games and the Peacock games.”
u/TheDangiestSlad: “am i crazy or is this way more diverse than usual?”
u/OWSpaceClown: “Toronto appears to have three Peacock games! And we don’t even GET Peacock!”
u/Enough-Ad-3111: “Crazy to actually see the whole SNB schedule listed ahead of the season and not on a month by month basis like ESPN did.”
According to MLB.com
ESPN will stream over 150 out-of-market games, one per day, through the ESPN app. “ESPN has secured the rights to sell and distribute MLB.TV, the league’s out of market streaming service, across ESPN’s industry leading digital and streaming platforms. Starting with the 2026 season, fans will now be able to purchase and watch their favorite teams’ games outside of their home territory on MLB.TV through ESPN. In 2025, MLB.TV set a record with 19.4 billion minutes-watched, breaking last year’s full-season record of 14.5 billion by +34%.”
During the 2025 Major League season, ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball game coverage recorded its best season in 12 years and had an average viewing audience of 1.8 million viewers, which exceeded at a +21% increase over last year’s total.
ESPN has secured the right over the term to sell and distribute, via the ESPN app, MLB Network and in-market games for the select MLB teams whose games are being produced and distributed by the league.
This will let fans have the ability to purchase these subscriptions either independently, as part of a bundle with MLB.TV, or packaged with an ESPN subscription alongside for the 2026 season the local in-market streaming products will continue to be available through MLB’s platforms.
