The 2026 Major League Baseball season is upon us.
On Wednesday night, the San Francisco Giants will host the New York Yankees in the first game of the new campaign, in an opening contest that signals a new era for the league. The matchup will be streamed exclusively on Netflix as the platform makes its debut as an MLB live broadcast partner.
The game features two teams that figure to be playoff contenders, with each looking to improve on disappointing 2025 seasons.
The Giants made a big move in the middle of the 2025 season, landing Rafael Devers from the Red Sox in a blockbuster trade. Despite the strong move from president of baseball operations Buster Posey, the team fell far short of expectations. San Francisco finished the season 81–81, two games out of the playoffs. Manager Bob Melvin was fired, and Posey again decided to be bold, hiring the University of Tennessee’s manager, Tony Vitello. The 47-year-old led the Volunteers to a national title in 2024, but has no major league experience, making him the first person to make the jump straight from the collegiate ranks to the majors.
Vitello’s squad is largely the same as the group that fell short in 2025, though upgrades like outfielder Harrison Bader and three-time batting champ Luis Arráez should help boost the lineup. Having Devers for a full season is also a significant upgrade.
Logan Webb will be on the mound Wednesday night, fresh off earning All-Tournament honors for Team USA at the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Webb went 15–11 in 2025, with a 3.22 ERA, a 1.24 WHIP, and 224 strikeouts against 46 walks in 207 innings. He made his second National League All-Star team in a row and won his first Gold Glove.
The Yankees are coming off of a disappointing exit from the playoffs. After falling to the Dodgers in the 2024 World Series, New York hoped to take the next step in ’25, but didn’t come all that close. The Blue Jays won the AL East and then eliminated the Yankees in four games during the ALDS.
The team returns largely intact from 2025, with three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge leading the way. New York’s biggest offseason move was re-signing Cody Bellinger to a five-year, $162.5 million contract. Other than that, the team didn’t add much outside of a deal with the Marlins for lefty Ryan Weathers.
One big upgrade could be coming from within, as former top prospect Jasson Domínguez had a huge spring. He went 17-for-48 (.354) at the plate with two doubles, a triple and four home runs, producing a 1.084 OPS and a 152 wRC+. For some reason, the Yankees left him off their Opening Day roster. While Domínguez isn’t a great outfielder, it feels like the franchise has to find a way to get him in the lineup.
Max Fried will be on the mound for the Yankees Wednesday night, and he’s coming off a stellar season. The 32-year-old signed an eight-year, $218 million deal with New York last offseason and delivered for his new team. He went 19–5 with a 2.86 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 189 strikeouts in 195 1/3 innings. He’s poised to lead the rotation to start the season with Gerrit Cole still working his way back from Tommy John surgery.
MLB Opening Night broadcast information
Wednesday night’s game will be the first live MLB game broadcast on Netflix, which is a major change for the league. The matchup is set to begin at 8 p.m. ET, with the pregame show beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
Matt Vasgersian will handle play-by-play duties, while CC Sabathia and Hunter Pence will serve as analysts and Lauren Shehadi will be the on-field reporter.
Netflix’s studio crew will be led by host Elle Duncan, with Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols and Anthony Rizzo providing analysis.
Giants vs. Yankees live blog: All the updates from MLB Opening Night
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Yankees vs. Giants: Live Updates From MLB Opening Night.
