March 26, 2026 is officially the earliest full Opening Day in Major League Baseball history, and the Yankees made sure the season announced itself with authority. New York shut out the San Francisco Giants 7-0 at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Tuesday night — the game streamed exclusively on Netflix as part of the league's three-year streaming deal — setting a tone that Yankees fans have been craving since the team's disappointing early exit last October. Wednesday brings the rest of the league's 30 teams into action, with 15 games spread across the full slate.
The Netflix broadcast of the Giants-Yankees game drew strong early viewership numbers, with the streaming service reporting it was tracking as the most-watched live sporting event in Netflix history through the first three innings. The deal, worth $150 million annually over three years, gives Netflix exclusive rights to one Tuesday night game per week during the 2026 season — a significant escalation in the streaming wars for live sports rights. Netflix has invested in real-time data overlays, an alternate Spanish-language broadcast, and a dedicated push notification system for subscribers who aren't actively watching when games begin.
The Yankees' dominant win was built on starting pitching and an early offensive burst. Their Opening Day starter threw six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and striking out nine. The offense came alive in the third inning with a three-run frame, added an insurance run in the fifth, and put the game away with a three-run seventh. The Giants, who spent heavily in free agency this winter to address their rotation, managed only four base runners all night — a sign that new manager Bob Melvin may need time to integrate his expensive acquisitions.
