A labor dispute between Major League Baseball and the Player’s Association is throwing a serious shadow over the 2027 season, with no guarantee it will start on time. We’re already 17 weeks deep into this 27-week grind, rolling into the second half of the 2026 campaign on July 17. It’s crazy to think about, but while we’re soaking up every pitch, every swing, every incredible play, the future of the game itself is actually a bit fuzzy. This means we gotta appreciate every single moment of the 2026 season right now, because who knows what next year brings, seriously?
MLB on NBC? Yeah, It’s Real!
Get ready, because baseball just landed a massive new home! MLB is officially back on NBC and Peacock in 2026, and this isn’t just some small-time deal. NBC Sports is locking it down as the exclusive spot for Sunday Night Baseball. Think about that: your prime-time Sunday action? Only on NBC. But it’s way more than just Sundays. They’re also bringing us MLB Sunday Leadoff, those iconic “Opening Day” and Labor Day primetime games, the first round of the MLB Draft, and the *entire* Wild Card round of the postseason. Yeah, the whole first round of the playoffs, all there. It’s a huge shift in how we’ll watch the game, giving us more big-league action right on our screens.
Second Half Rotations Are Already Wild
Now, if you’re like me, constantly glued to the lineups and trying to figure out who’s getting the ball, things are more uncertain than usual right now. We’re on Friday afternoon, and teams are still scrambling to get their rotations locked in for the second half. The Atlanta Braves are a perfect example; they haven’t even announced their starting rotation beyond this weekend. We know Reynaldo Lopez is practically guaranteed to get a start, probably Monday or Tuesday. But who gets that second slot? It’s a total toss-up. Hurston Waldrep is definitely in the mix, and even Bryce Elder, who’s been struggling hard lately, could get the call. Keep an eye out too for AJ Smith-Shawver, who’s close to returning from the injured list. It’s a longshot, but he *could* be ready early next week.
Over with the Cubs, it’s pretty much the same story. Their plans past the first series after the All-Star break are completely up in the air. Colin Rea, Matthew Boyd, and Shota Imanaga are working those first three games, which leaves David Peterson and Javier Assad as the options for Monday. Plus, Jameson Taillon might get cleared from the injured list and jump right back into the rotation, bumping someone out. Whoever does take the mound for the Cubs on Monday,assuming they don’t roll out a six-man rotation this time,is set for two starts: one against the Tigers and another at the Pirates. That makes them a potentially solid streaming option for those who are still paying attention to every detail in the standings.
So yeah, with all this talk about the 2027 season potentially getting delayed, it just hammers home why we gotta savor every single moment of this 2026 campaign. Don’t let your guard down just because some are already thinking football. There are still huge opportunities to climb those standings, and every single decision, every pitching rotation shuffle, could be the difference. Keep your eyes peeled this weekend for those rotation updates, because those guys on the bump for two starts could be your ticket to finishing the 2026 season strong. We’re in the second half, baby, let’s make it count!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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