NEW YORK, NY — When you flip on your television in 2026, baseball games may be a bit confusing to find at first as Major League Baseball and several streaming platforms/networks announced a new series of broadcast rights which will run through 2028.
ESPN, which made news last year for announcing it was relinquishing its Sunday Night Baseball package which it had for 35 years, will broadcast 30 games on its linear channels, and many out-of-market games on its ESPN Unlimited app. Netflix, which likes splashy standalone events when it comes to sports, will showcase the All-Star Game, Home Run Derby and next year’s first game of the 2026 regular season which has the Yankees facing the Giants on March 25th.
Image Credit: Ernesto Diaz/Latino Sports
The big news, however, is that NBC will, after a 25-year hiatus, begin broadcasting MLB again. For baby boomers, NBC was synonymous with watching baseball. When the 1969 Miracle Mets won the World Series, it was Curt Gowdy who handled the play-by-play on Channel 4, while in 1986, it was Vin Scully at the microphone for the Peacock Network. Other legendary baseball voices for NBC were Tony Kubek, Joe Garagiola, Marv Albert, and Astoria native Bob Costas.
NBC will be inheriting the Sunday night games ESPN is giving up, and its revived cable arm, NBC Sports Network, will show eighteen late Sunday morning games. NBC will also broadcast some Wildcard playoff games and the Futures Games featuring top minor leaguers which takes place the Saturday before the All-Star Game.
Mets release RHP Frankie Montas
The Mets bit the financial bullet and released Frankie Montas last week. Montas was Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns’ big pitching free agent signing last winter. Many were scratching their heads since Montas was both frequently injured and was a mediocre hurler. He was awful during his tenure with the Yankees.
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Stearns thought he could catch lightning in a bottle the way he did with both Luis Severino and Sean Manaea the previous winter. He was able to ink both of those pitchers to one-year contracts to minimize risk. Happily, for Stearns, both had great 2024 seasons. For some unfathomable reason, Stearns felt the need to lavish a two-year, $34 million contract on Montas,
Stearns wound up getting stuck by lightning. Montas suffered a high-grade right lat strain during spring training. He did not make his Mets debut until after the All-Star Game break. Montas pitched well in his first game back as he threw five scoreless innings against the Atlanta Braves and got the win. That solid pitching performance was an aberration. He was pummeled after that and was banished to the bullpen.
Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
In August, Montas was diagnosed with a UCL injury and underwent surgery which sideline him for the entire 2026 season. The Mets decided it was wiser to use his spot on the 40-man roster to avoid losing a player in the Rule V draft in December.
Adam Ottavino slams Mets for 2025 injury plagued season
Former Mets and Yankees relief pitcher Adam Ottavino caused a stir when he blamed Mets manager Carlos Mendoza for the rash of injuries which plagued the team last year. He pointed to the season-ending injuries to fellow relief pitchers Danny Young, Reed Garrett, Dedniel Nunez, and Max Kranick.
Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
In fairness, Mendoza had no choice but to overwork his bullpen because his starting pitching staff was so ineffective. He admitted his concerns about that at every one of his press conferences.
Ottavino’s other criticism was that the Mets organization did not educate players on how they could lower their risk of injuries. Given his long playing career in which he missed few games, it is safe to say that he has expertise in this area. Ottavino may have hit on the chief reason the Mets parted ways with pitching coach Jeremy Hefner last month.
Image Credit: George Napolitano/Latino Sports
The articulate and telegenic Ottavino has done some work for ESPN and the MLB Network, as well as having made numerous appearances on SNY’s “Baseball Night in New York.” He told me during his last year with the Mets in 2024 that he would not mind joining their television broadcasting team when either Keith Hernandez or Ron Darling retired. I would say the odds of that happening are remote.
SNY’s Baseball Night in New York celebrates 10 year anniversary
Speaking of “Baseball Night in New York,” the daily 6PM show marked its tenth anniversary last week. Host Sal Licata and his rotating nightly trio of panelists do an impressive job covering the national pastime without taking the proceedings too seriously. After all, how many times can you dissect whether the Mets will re-sign Pete Alonso and/or Edwin Díaz?
Daniel Murphy among newcomers on 2026 HOF Ballot
Daniel Murphy is one of the new names on this year’s Hall of Fame ballot. The former Mets second baseman is unlikely to ever be enshrined in Cooperstown.
It is also doubtful he will get the necessary 5% of the vote from the Baseball Writers Association of America to remain on the ballot after the 2026 results are announced in late January.
Harlem Globetrotters to be honored at the Paley Museum
The Harlem Globetrotters, who are celebrating their centennial this year, will be honored at the Paley Museum this Saturday afternoon. When I was growing up, listening to Howard Cosell broadcast the antics of then-stars Curly Neal and Meadowlark Lemon on ABC’s “Wide World of Sports” was appointment viewing for me.
Comedian Vic DiBitetto at Hard Rock Hotel in AC on Friday, December 5th
Comedian Vic DiBitetto, whose rants about his beloved New York Yankees and New York Giants are the stuff of social media lore, will be appearing at the Hard Rock Hotel in Atlantic City on Friday, December 5. Expect Giants general manager Joe Schoen and team CEO John Mara to be the brunt of many jokes.
Tourism and its Growth in Cancun
Tourism representatives from Cancun were in New York last week. Mexico, like the United States, is hosting World Cup matches in three Mexican cities.
Image Credit: MLS and FIFA
While Cancun is not one of those cities, area officials are promoting the resort town as a great stopover since flights within Mexico are of short duration and inexpensive. Cancun also has direct flight service to all the American host cities, and there is plenty of daily service to JFK. Cancun will also be hosting a WTA tournament (the women’s pro circuit) in March. The Yucatan resort town also has a baseball in the Mexican League.
Former NYPD commissioner James O’Neill, head of security operations for VISA, speaks at International Security Conference
Former NYPD commissioner James O’Neill relocated to Southern California in 2019 to head security operations for VISA. He was the keynote speaker at last week’s International Security Conference held at Javits Center.
He got off a great quip about what he misses most in New York. “My colleagues love to tell me about the avocado toast here. I really miss a good bagel and a real slice of pizza!”
You can read more of Lloyd Carroll’s columns posted weekly on The Queens Chronicle.
