2026 MLB Wild Card Series announcer schedule & pairings

The 2026 MLB postseason begins on Tuesday, September 29, with the Wild Card Series airing on NBC and Peacock throughout the day. NBC has announced its broadcasting crews for the Wild Card round, including play-by-play announcers, local analysts, a field reporter, and an Inside the Pitch analyst for each game. Here are the announcer pairings for the upcoming games:

1. Philadelphia Phillies vs. Atlanta Braves (2 p.m., NBC/Peacock)

Play-by-play: Matt Vasgersian

Analysts: John Kruk and C.J. Nitkowski

Inside the Pitch: Joey Votto

Reporter: Ashley ShahAhmadi

2. Chicago White Sox vs. Houston Astros (5 p.m., Peacock/NBCSN)

Play-by-play: Tom McCarthy

Analysts: Steve Stone and Geoff Blum

Inside the Pitch: Adam Ottavino

Reporter: Britney Eurton

3. Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees (8 p.m., NBC/Peacock)

Play-by-play: Jason Benetti

Analysts: Lou Merloni and Joe Girardi

Inside the Pitch: Anthony Rizzo

Reporter: Caroline Pineda

4. Chicago Cubs vs. San Diego Padres (10 p.m., Peacock/NBCSN)

Play-by-play: Dave Flemming

Analysts: Jim Deshaies and Mark Grant

Inside the Pitch: Clayton Kershaw

Reporter: John Fanta

Each Wild Card series is a Best of 3, leading up to the Divisional Series starting on Saturday, October 3. The NLCS will begin on Sunday, October 11, followed by the ALCS on Monday, October 12, as fans eagerly await the World Series matchup.