Lauren Shehadi will add another high-profile assignment to an already packed schedule this year, as the MLB Network host has secured the sideline reporter role for Netflix’s first venture into live Major League Baseball coverage.
According to Front Office Sports, Shehadi is expected to patrol the sidelines when Netflix launches its MLB package with an Opening Night matchup between the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants on March 25 at Oracle Park.
In addition to the season-opening broadcast, FOS is reporting that Shehadi will also contribute to the streamer’s coverage of the 2026 Home Run Derby and the league’s Field of Dreams Game, giving Netflix an experienced voice as the company begins expanding deeper into live sports programming.
The assignment further elevates Shehadi’s visibility across multiple networks and properties, as the veteran broadcaster already maintains a demanding schedule spanning MLB Network, TNT Sports and TBS throughout the baseball and college basketball calendars.
Major League Baseball announced their new media rights agreement with Netflix in November.
During the regular baseball season, Shehadi serves as co-host of MLB Network’s flagship morning program MLB Central alongside former World Series champion Mark DeRosa and veteran broadcaster Robert Flores.
The daily studio show has developed a strong reputation among baseball fans and industry observers alike, earning a nomination last year for the Sports Emmy Award honoring Outstanding Daily Studio Show. Beyond her duties on MLB Central, Shehadi frequently contributes to MLB Network’s event coverage while also appearing on the network’s weekday morning program Hot Stove, which focuses on offseason news and league developments.
Later this month, Shehadi will appear as part of TNT Sports’ coverage of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, joining a broadcast team that includes play-by-play voice Kevin Harlan along with analysts Stan Van Gundy and Robbie Hummel. Once the MLB postseason arrives, Shehadi typically transitions to TBS, where she contributes as both a field reporter and studio host during the network’s playoff broadcasts.
MLB Network will co-produce the Opening Night broadcast with Netflix as part of the streamer’s three-year, $150 million agreement with Major League Baseball. The deal grants Netflix exclusive streaming rights to the season-opening showcase, the Home Run Derby and additional special events, including the Field of Dreams Game.
Netflix has previously collaborated with MLB on Emmy Award-winning documentaries including The Turnaround and The Comeback: 2004 Boston Red Sox, as well as the eight-part docuseries The Clubhouse. It now adds marquee live events to its more than 90 million U.S. and Canadian subscribers and over 300 million globally.
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