Major League Baseball (MLB) is officially back for the 2026 season. Between March 25-27—with March 26 being the one true opening day— the marathon to 162 games began.
The March 25 primetime opener aired on Netflix, which recently secured broadcasting rights for the next three MLB seasons in a deal worth $50 million annually. The matchup featured the New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants, with the Yankees delivering a dominant performance in a 7–0 shutout victory.
Despite star player Aaron Judge going hitless, the Yankees swept the game. Pitcher Max Fried pitched for 6.1 scoreless innings, allowing two hits. Successive pitchers Jake Bird, Brent Headrick and Camilo Doval continued for a complete shutout on opening day.
Rising above all other commentary and boos for Aaron Judge were complaints about Netflix’s broadcast, specifically the score bug. Since their popularization in the late ‘90s, score bugs have been a useful tool to keep track of an otherwise slow game. A typical baseball score bug will include the team logos, current score, outs, balls and strikes, runners on base, who is batting, current inning and inning half, who is pitching and the pitcher’s pitch count. Increasingly, betting odds have been featured, though this is not standard. It is a lot to pack into a small space, so networks need to be efficient. Inexplicably, Netflix decided to have the Netflix logo take up more space than the pitcher and player at bat, using a miniscule font.
This was, of course, when the score bug is displayed on screen at all. Often, the score bug would disappear, leaving fans lost. Between a lackluster score bug, having to buy yet another service to watch a previously centralized sport and a green cast of analysts for the broadcast, Netflix is not making a convincing case for hosting further MLB events.
In addition to the new streaming platform, this season marked the first use of the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system in major league baseball. Under the new system, each team can challenge two calls per game, receiving extra challenges in extra innings or retaining the challenge if successful. The ABS system monitors the exact position of the ball relative to the strike zone, precisely calculated based on measured player height. The replay is then monitored and the umpire’s strike is either overturned or upheld. To challenge a call, a pitcher, catcher or batter must tap their hat within two seconds of the call. A position player’s pitch cannot be challenged, only a pitcher. This rule has already sparked controversy, as Shohei Ohtani is a two-way pitcher and designated hitter who is open to outfield positions, leaving him in a legal gray area.
José Caballero of the Yankees used the ABS challenge in the MLB, though unsuccessful, as the call remained a strike. The first successful challenge using the ABS system went to Mets’ Catcher Francisco Alvarez on a Freddy Peralta’s pitch called a ball. After review, the fastball was deemed in the strike zone and the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Oneil Cruz struck out.
On March 26, the Pirates fell to the New York Mets 7-11. Brandon Lowe put the Pirates on the board with a 2 run home run in the first inning. Their lead was not held for long, however, as the Mets earned five runs in the first inning, including a triple from Brett Baty. Two time CY Young winner—an award given annually to the league’s best pitcher—Paul Skenes was pulled early in the first inning, lending him a starting earned run average (ERA) of 67.50, a career low for the young upstart. In the sixth inning, Mets’ Rookie Carson Benge hit a home run in his MLB debut, followed by another homer from Francisco Alvarez, taking the score to 5-11 Pirates-Mets. The game ended 7-11 with the Mets taking home their first win of the season.
As for the Cleveland Guardians, they opened their season in Seattle against the Mariners. Guardians’ own right fielder Chase DeLauter put up two home runs in his regular season debut, with one at his first at bat in the first inning to put the Guardians on the board. The Mariners responded with a leadoff homer from third baseman Brendan Donovan in the first inning and a second from Dominic Canzone in the second. The Guardians took back the lead in the fifth with a double from Brayan Rocchio, which they held for the rest of the game. The Mariners followed up with another homer from Luke Raley in the fifth and a second home run from Canzone in the seventh. It wasn’t enough to stop The Land. Guardians’ José Ramírez, DeLauter and Rocchio scored in the seventh, and DeLauter hit his second MLB homer in the ninth. Despite having only two hits that were not home runs, the Mariners lost the game to the Guardians 6-4 and Cleveland secured their first win on the road.
After facing the Mariners, the Guardians went on to face the reigning world champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Guardians upset the Dodgers’ perfect starting record with a 4-2 win on March 30. All eyes remain on the Dodgers this season after aggressive moves in the off-season and the highest salary spending in MLB. If they take home another World Series win this year, the Dodgers would be the first national league team to ever three-peat.
With some analysts projecting 2027 to be the year of the baseball lockout, enjoy baseball while you can. MLB is back, and the long, demanding six-month journey of the season is officially underway, so soak it in while it lasts.