The sounds of spring are familiar everywhere. Birds chirping, flowers blooming, bees buzzing and, our personal favorite, the crack of the bat in baseball stadiums around the country.
The 2026 MLB season kicks off Thursday, March 25, and it promises to be an historic one: Major League Baseball is introducing an automated ball-strike system that could completely change the outcomes of games. Additionally, the MLB is going international once again and every channel and streaming service wants a piece of America’s favorite pastime.
Check out this guide to the 2026 MLB Season so you’re always up to date on the latest and greatest.
Watch more MLB games than anywhere else with DIRECTV so you never miss your favorite game again. DIRECTV has the most live baseball games across any TV or streaming plan* – with RSNs, specialty sports channels including MLB Network® and MLB Strike Zone™ and college sports all in one place.
MLB® 2026 Season Preview & Major Changes
Here are some of the biggest changes and events to watch for in the 2026 MLB season:
Automated Ball-Strike System
The biggest change coming to Major League Baseball this season is the automated ball-strike system, which allows teams to challenge balls and strikes at least twice during a game. If a challenge is successful, the team gets it back. Challenges can only be made by a pitcher, catcher or batter. The player needs to tap their helmet or hat to indicate they’d like to make a challenge.
The system has been tested in the minor leagues for years and during Spring Training last season. While umpires get 94% of calls right on average, that 6% can make a difference — and so far, teams that challenge have won around 50% of those challenges.
The obvious problem it solves is getting the call right so that missed calls don’t cost a team or significantly benefit one team over another. But there’s also another meaningful downstream effect: Reducing ejections. About 60% of ejections in baseball are due to arguing balls and strikes. By allowing teams to challenge instead, the system diffuses potential tension and makes for a more family-friendly game for anyone within earshot of home plate.
International Play
The 2026 season will return to Mexico City for the MLB Mexico City Series. The Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres play a two-game series at Alfredo Harp Helú Stadium on April 25–26.
The London Series was supposed to return but ran into scheduling conflicts at London Stadium due to FOX’s availability around the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The World Cup will also create some scheduling havoc for the Kansas City Royals, Philadelphia Phillies, Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers, whose home stadiums are near World Cup venues.
Stadium Updates
Once again, the Athletics will be playing in their interim ballpark for the season, while the Tampa Bay Rays will return home.
The Athletics will be based in West Sacramento, California at Sutter Health Park as they await their relocation to Las Vegas in 2028. As a preview, the Athletics will play a homestand at Las Vegas Ballpark in Nevada — home of their Pacific Coast League affiliate, the Las Vegas Aviators — from June 8–14.
The Tampa Bay Rays will return to Tropicana Field, which had been damaged by Hurricane Milton. The Rays played their 2025 home games at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida.
New Uniforms in 2026
Teams around the league will be sporting some new looks this season:
- Athletics: New gold alternate uniform with “Sacramento” script across the chest
- Milwaukee Brewers: Added powder blue to their road uniform
- Baltimore Orioles: New cap with an orange “B” script
- Miami Marlins: Debut of a new teal alternate uniform
- Seattle Mariners: New white home uniform inspired by the Negro League’s Seattle Steelheads
- Minnesota Twins: New navy alternate uniform featuring “Twins” script on the chest and an outline of Minnesota on the sleeve
- Detroit Tigers: Two new alternates — a home orange alternate with an old-English “D” on the chest and a road navy alternate with “Detroit” in orange script across the front
Take our MLB QUIZ and find out how much baseball history you really know!
Managerial Changes
Nine teams will be led by new managers entering 2026.
Atlanta Braves
Walt Weiss takes over for the retired Brian Snitker. Weiss was promoted from bench coach and previously managed the Colorado Rockies from 2013 to 2016.
Baltimore Orioles
Craig Albernez takes over after interim manager Tony Mansolino held the role following the departure of Brandon Hyde. This is Albernez’s first managerial job after serving as the Guardians’ bench coach and then associate manager in Cleveland under two-time AL Manager of the Year Stephen Vogt.
Colorado Rockies
Warren Schaefer will have his interim tag removed and serve as full-time manager after taking over for Bud Black in May of last season. When Schaefer stepped in, the Rockies were 7–33. They went 36–86 the rest of the way which isn’t great, but roughly four times better than their pace under Black.
Los Angeles Angels
Kurt Suzuki takes over after Ron Washington was placed on medical leave and underwent quadruple bypass heart surgery. Ray Montgomery served as interim until it was announced Washington would not return in 2026. Suzuki, who played for the Angels in 2021 and 2022, steps into his first managerial position.
Minnesota Twins
Derek Shelton takes over for former AL Manager of the Year Rocco Baldelli, who finished with a 527–505 record and three postseason appearances. Shelton previously managed the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2020 to 2025 before being fired 38 games into the 2025 season.
San Diego Padres
Craig Stammen takes over for the retired Mike Shildt, who won NL Manager of the Year in 2019 with St. Louis and finished his Padres career with a 183–141 record. Stammen is a former Padres player who wrapped up his playing career in San Diego from 2017 to 2022 and has since worked in the team’s baseball operations department before being named manager.
San Francisco Giants
Tony Vitello takes over for Bob Melvin, who was fired after going 81–81 in his second season without a postseason appearance. Vitello comes directly from the University of Tennessee making him the first manager to go straight from a college program to an MLB team without another stop in the major leagues. At Tennessee, he won a national championship in 2024, SEC regular-season titles in 2022 and 2025, SEC Tournament championships in 2022 and 2024 and was named SEC Coach of the Year and two-time Perfect Game Coach of the Year.
Texas Rangers
The Rangers and Bruce Bochy came to a mutual agreement to end his tenure as manager. Bochy will shift into a front office role with the organization. He added another chapter to his legendary career in Texas with a 249–237 record and a World Series title in his lone postseason appearance in 2023. Skip Schumacher, who had managed the Marlins in 2023 and 2024 before leaving due to a family emergency, was hired by Texas to serve as senior advisor to president of baseball operations Chris Young.
Washington Nationals
Blake Butera will take over for Dave Martinez and interim manager Miguel Cairo. Martinez was fired around the halfway point of 2025, finishing his Nationals era with a World Series title in 2019. Cairo served as interim manager, his second such role, after doing the same for the Chicago White Sox in 2022.
Butera became the youngest manager in minor league baseball in 2018 at just 25 years old. He went on to manage the Charleston RiverDogs in 2021 and 2022, winning 170 games, a Manager of the Year award and two league championships. He then moved into the major league front office as an assistant field coordinator and later senior director of player development. At 33, he becomes the youngest MLB manager since the Twins hired Frank Quilici in 1972.
2026 Key MLB® Schedule Dates
Here are some important dates on the MLB schedule for the 2026 season.
2026 MLB All-Star Game — The All-Star Game will be played July 14 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. All-Star Saturday is July 11th and the T-Mobile Home Run Derby is Monday, July 13.
Field of Dreams Game — After a three-year hiatus, the Field of Dreams Game returns on August 13 when the Minnesota Twins host the Philadelphia Phillies at the iconic Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa.
MLB Little League Classic — On August 23, the Atlanta Braves will take on the Milwaukee Brewers at Bowman Field in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, home of the Little League World Series.
Subway Series — The Mets and Yankees will revive the Subway Series from September 11–13 at Yankee Stadium.
| Date | Event |
| February 20 | Grapefruit League and Cactus League games begin |
| February 21 | All spring training games begin |
| March 4–17 | 2026 World Baseball Classic |
| March 19–22 | MLB Spring Breakout |
| March 25 | MLB Opening Day (Yankees at Giants, Netflix, 8:05 PM ET) |
| March 26 | Full MLB Opening Day (most teams) |
| April 15 | Jackie Robinson Day |
| April 25–26 | MLB Mexico City Series (Diamondbacks vs. Padres) |
| June 2 | Lou Gehrig Day |
| June 8–14 | Athletics homestand at Las Vegas Ballpark |
| July 11 | MLB All-Star Saturday |
| July 13 | T-Mobile Home Run Derby |
| July 14 | MLB All-Star Game — Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia |
| August 13 | Field of Dreams Game (Twins vs. Phillies, Dyersville, Iowa) |
| August 23 | MLB Little League Classic (Braves vs. Brewers, Williamsport, PA) |
| September 11–13 | Subway Series (Mets vs. Yankees, Yankee Stadium) |
| September 15 | Roberto Clemente Day |
| September 27 | Regular season ends |
| September 29 | Postseason begins |
| October 23 | World Series begins |
2026 World Baseball Classic
Interrupting your regularly scheduled Spring Training is the 2026 World Baseball Classic, where the game’s top stars compete on their national teams for a world title. Exhibition games began March 3.
Pool play began March 4th in Tokyo when Australia plays Chinese Taipei. Team USA opened in Houston against Brazil on March 6. The World Baseball Classic Final is March 17th.
MLB® Spring Breakout (March 19–22)
The third annual MLB Spring Breakout features top prospects from each team competing against one another. Here are the key matchups to watch:
Pirates vs. Tigers (March 20) — Konnor Griffin (SS, Pirates), MLB’s #1 overall prospect, faces off against Kevin McGonigle (SS, Tigers), the #2 overall prospect. Both have a strong chance of making their respective opening day rosters or seeing major league action this season.
Brewers vs. Athletics (March 22) — Jesús Made (SS, Brewers), the #3 overall prospect and Leo De Vries (SS, Athletics), #4 overall, take the diamond. Both are still teenagers and may be a year or so away, but this is exactly what Spring Breakout is for.
Cardinals vs. Nationals (March 19) — JJ Wetherholt (SS, Cardinals), the #5 overall prospect, faces Eli Willits (SS, Nationals), the #13 overall prospect.
Twins vs. Phillies (March 19) — Walker Jenkins (OF, Twins), the #14 overall prospect, faces Andrew Painter (RHP, Phillies), MLB’s #28 overall prospect. Both players have a strong chance of appearing in the majors this season.
2026 MLB® League Schedule
From April through September, it’s a safe bet that there is almost always a baseball game on TV to watch. Whatever team you root for, keep track of your MLB schedules, MLB players and MLB standings all on DIRECTV.
Where to Watch MLB® Games in 2026
Of course, most baseball fans prefer to get into the game at the ballpark or stadiums, but when that’s not an option, there are many ways to watch MLB. And considering DIRECTV has the most MLB games on TV for fans to watch (with more in-market Regional Sports Networks than DISH, YouTube TV & Hulu + Live TV combined*), you’ve come to the right place.
*Compared to cable, Dish and most streaming providers. RSNs avail. with CHOICE package or higher. Availability of RSNs varies by ZIP code and package.
Here are the channels needed to watch the most MLB games:
- 30+ Regional Sports Networks (only available in some areas)
- MLB Network® – DIRECTV Channel 213
- ESPN – DIRECTV Channel 206
- FOX – Find your local FOX channel
- NBC – Find your local NBC affiliate channel
- FOX Sports 1 – DIRECTV Channel 219
- ABC – Find your local ABC channel
- TBS – DIRECTV Channel 247
- MLB EXTRA INNINGS®
Streaming services
Explore the MLB Teams on the Move to find out more about where to find your team.
MLB Team Schedules
Catch live games of your favorite team all season long. Below you’ll find the schedule and preview for the American League and National League teams heading into the 2026 season.
Watch MLB® baseball on DIRECTV
You can watch MLB baseball on DIRECTV all season long. Get started today!
© 2026 Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. All rights reserved. Major League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc.
Frequently asked questions
When is 2026 Opening Day?
MLB Opening Day takes place on Thursday, March 26, with an Opening Night game on March 25 between the Yankees and Giants.
What MLB team has the most championships?
The New York Yankees have won the World Series 27 times and played in 41 championship games with the 2024 season being the most recent, with a loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
When is the MLB All Star Game scheduled in 2026?
The MLB All-Star Game takes place on July 15, 2026.
When is 2025 MLB opening day?
Opening day for the 2025 MLB season is on March 27th.
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