Veteran broadcaster Matt Vasgersian will occupy a prominent role during the opening stretch of the 2026 Major League Baseball season. This includes taking part in multiple high-profile national broadcasts across multiple platforms as networks and streaming services continue to reshape how fans consume the sport’s biggest moments.
According to a report by The Athletic, NBC selected Vasgersian to handle play-by-play duties for its Opening Day telecast when the New York Mets visit the Pittsburgh Pirates on March 26. Also according to several reports, Vasgersian will also likely serve as the lead MLB play-by-play voice for Netflix’ Opening Day broadcast as the global streaming platform begins it’s three-year media rights deal with MLB.
NBC previously announced that Jason Benetti will call the network’s Sunday Night Baseball games, marking another major national assignment for the longtime television voice. According to the network, NBC plans to pair its play-by-play announcers with analysts drawn from local broadcasts tied to the teams participating in each game, a strategy intended to provide more team-specific insight while still delivering a national presentation.
The Opening Day assignment positions Vasgersian as a central figure in NBCUniversal’s broader baseball strategy, which will feature an expanded schedule of streaming-exclusive games during the 2026 season.
“I think I still have a cap from my first NBC play-by-play assignment, the 2000 Gator Bowl,” Vasgersian said. “Here we are 26 years later and coming back on NBC and Peacock to be a part of coverage of the sport I love and have invested my career in is incredibly gratifying.”
Beginning in May, he is slated to serve as the lead play-by-play voice for Peacock’s MLB Sunday Leadoff, a package of Sunday morning contests designed to give the streaming service a consistent early window before other national broadcasts begin later in the day.
“Matt has been on the NBC Sports team throughout the years, including calling MLB games and baseball in the Olympics, and we welcome him home,” said Sam Flood, NBC Sports Executive Producer. “With extensive experience on national and local broadcasts, Matt is an ideal fit to be one of our play-by-play voices for MLB Sunday Leadoff, leading a national presentation alongside analysts with connections to each competing team.”
Despite the expanded national schedule, Vasgersian will continue his longstanding relationship with MLB Network, where he has remained a fixture since the channel launched in 2009.
Over the course of his broadcasting career, Vasgersian has called a wide range of major sporting events, including college football assignments for NBC that date back to the early 2000s, a stint as the lead voice of Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN alongside Alex Rodriguez, and numerous MLB telecasts for both FOX Sports and regional broadcasts involving the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Angels.
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