Netflix is making a bold play for baseball’s biggest stage-and it’s eyeing some of the game’s most iconic names to help launch its first-ever MLB broadcast. According to sources familiar with the discussions, Netflix is pursuing Barry Bonds to join its exclusive Opening Day coverage when the San Francisco Giants host the New York Yankees on March 25.
While nothing is finalized yet, the plan-if it comes together-would have Bonds on-site for both pregame and postgame coverage. And let’s be honest: bringing in the all-time home run king for a Giants-Yankees Opening Day at Oracle Park? That’s the kind of headline move that signals Netflix isn’t dipping its toe into baseball-it’s diving in headfirst.
On the Yankees’ side, Netflix is reportedly working to land another heavyweight: CC Sabathia. The Hall of Fame lefty has stayed close to the game since retiring, with regular appearances on MLB Network’s “Clubhouse Edition,” a long-running podcast with ESPN’s Ryan Ruocco, and occasional stints on the Yankees’ YES Network. Sabathia brings a mix of charisma, clubhouse credibility, and deep baseball knowledge-exactly the kind of voice that can connect with both casual fans and diehards.
Netflix declined to comment on the negotiations, but the moves are part of a bigger strategy to make a splash in live sports. The streaming giant has already tapped former ESPN anchor Elle Duncan as its lead studio host across all sports properties. Duncan is expected to anchor the Opening Day pregame and postgame shows, setting the tone for what Netflix hopes will be a new kind of baseball broadcast-one that blends star power with storytelling.
As of now, Netflix hasn’t revealed who will call the game or handle in-game analysis. But with the clock ticking toward Opening Day, the pieces are starting to fall into place.
This marks the first season of a three-year deal between Netflix and Major League Baseball, and the schedule includes more than just Opening Day. Netflix will also have exclusive coverage of the Home Run Derby ahead of the All-Star Game, as well as the “Field of Dreams” game on August 13 between the Phillies and Twins in Dyersville, Iowa.
If Bonds does join the Opening Day coverage, it would be a full-circle moment. He spent the final 15 seasons of his legendary career in San Francisco, becoming the face of the franchise and one of the most feared hitters the game has ever seen.
Bonds retired in 2007 with 762 career home runs-still the most in MLB history. His presence on Opening Day would be more than ceremonial; it would be a nod to baseball’s complicated, yet unforgettable, past.
Of course, Bonds’ legacy comes with baggage. He’s widely regarded as one of the greatest to ever play, but his ties to performance-enhancing drugs have kept him out of the Hall of Fame. In his final year on the BBWAA ballot in 2022, Bonds received 66 percent of the vote-just shy of the 75 percent needed for induction.
Still, Bonds remains a towering figure in baseball lore, and his potential involvement in Netflix’s coverage-especially with the Home Run Derby also on the schedule-feels fitting. Few players have ever owned the long ball the way he did. And if Netflix is aiming to build buzz and bring new energy to the game, Bonds is a name that still moves the needle.
He wouldn’t be the first controversial figure to join a broadcast booth, either. Alex Rodriguez, who served a suspension in 2014 for PED use, has been a mainstay on Fox Sports for years.
Before A-Rod, Fox even had Pete Rose-banned for life for gambling-on its studio team. So, there’s precedent for networks turning to polarizing legends to boost their baseball coverage.
The bottom line? Netflix is swinging big. With Bonds and Sabathia potentially in the mix, Opening Day in San Francisco could be more than just the start of a season-it could be the start of a new era in how we watch baseball.