The 5 top highlights of 2026 Opening Night

MLB’s Opening Night was quite the spectacle.

The Yankees and Giants faced off in San Francisco on Wednesday night to open the 2026 regular season, a game nationally broadcast on Netflix and played at a jam-packed Oracle Park.

Here are the top five highlights from 2026 Opening Night.

1) Yankees break out for five-run second inning
After Giants starter Logan Webb retired the first four Yankees he faced, the Yanks erupted for a five-run second inning. It began when, with one out, Giancarlo Stanton lined a single to right-center field. Webb hit the next batter, Jazz Chisholm Jr., setting the table for José Caballero, who lined a double down the left-field line to knock in New York’s first run and the first run of the 2026 season.

Ryan McMahon and Austin Wells followed with back-to-back singles, and the rally was capped by a two-run triple by Trent Grisham that one-hopped the wall in right-center. Of the five hits in the frame, all were on offspeed pitches -- four were against Webb’s changeup, and one was against his sweeper.

2) The first ABS challenge
In the fourth inning, there was a Major League first: the first regular-season ABS challenge. The first pitch of the inning from Webb was a fastball to Caballero that was called a strike. Caballero thought the pitch was up and in, and so he called for a challenge. Upon ABS review, the pitch was confirmed to be a strike.

3) Fried’s fantastic outing
Max Fried showed ace-like stuff in his fourth career Opening Day start and his first with the Yankees. The left-hander tossed 6 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits -- singles by Rafael Devers and Heliot Ramos -- and a walk while striking out four. He became the fourth Yankees hurler to pitch six or more scoreless frames while allowing two or fewer hits on Opening Day, joining David Cone (1996), Ron Guidry (1980) and Mel Stottlemyre (1967).

4) Jazz being Jazz
Chisholm is capable of some electric moments on the diamond, and he certainly had a few on Wednesday. After being plunked and coming around to score during the Yankees’ big inning, Chisholm showed his speed on the bases after reaching on a forceout in the fifth. He swiped second base off Webb with a headfirst dive into the bag, the first steal of the 2026 season. (Expect many more from a player whose stated goal is to join Shohei Ohtani in the 50-50 club.)

Chisholm also made another highlight-reel play in the bottom of the sixth, when Giants third baseman Matt Chapman lined a ball his way at second base. The 106.7 mph line drive glanced off Chisholm’s glove and popped into the air, but the Yanks star instinctively snagged it with his bare hand for the first out. Even Chisholm seemed surprised: He appeared stunned that he managed to hold on, completing a heads-up play in the infield.

5) An awesome atmosphere
Kayaks -- and inflatable, floating baseballs -- in McCovey Cove. An inspiring national anthem performance, complete with fireworks. A crowd of over 40,000. The ambience in San Francisco couldn’t have been better for baseball’s return in 2026. Even Barry Bonds was on hand, part of the Netflix broadcast team for Opening Night (and willing to open up about a very interesting development from his legendary career). At Oracle Park, one of MLB’s most picturesque venues, the atmosphere was one of the highlights of the first game of the regular season.