Netflix MLB broadcast misses first ABS challenge in MLB history due to awkward manager interview

Netflix has attempted to increase interest in live sports on its platform in recent years. It started with football and boxing, but as of Wednesday, March 25 the platform added baseball to its lineup.

Netflix bought the rights to the first MLB broadcast of the 2026 season between the New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants and the platform assembled a strong pre-game show and announcer team, but struggled with one of the most basic aspects of the broadcast. 

The 2026 season will be a historic one for MLB because it is the first year with an automated pitch challenge system in place. The process had been tested in the minor leagues and spring training, but Opening Night was the first time that teams could challenge pitch calls. 

The first-ever challenge came in the top of the fourth inning. 

And the Netflix broadcast missed it. 

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Netflix broadcasts first MLB ABS challenge

Netflix might still be in Spring Training mode. The platform's first baseball broadcast proved they have much to learn about how to make the sport look good on TV.

The first official ABS challenge came in the top of the fourth inning. Jose Caballero was batting and challenged a called strike. During the at-bat, field reporter Lauren Shehadi was interviewing new Giants manager Tony Vitello. The Netflix broadcast caught Caballero challenging the call, but then cut back to the Vitello interview. 

Netflix then cut back to home plate, but viewers just got a side profile shot of the catcher and home plate umpire looking at the jumbotron where the challenge and review was actually taking place. 

Rather than cutting to the jumbotron to fill fans in on what was going on, the camera stayed on the umpire who relayed that the call was confirmed a strike. Throughout spring training, broadcasts had cut to the jumbotron to show the challenge, the pitch coming into the strike zone and the result of the challenge. But that was not the case for the first official ABS challenge.

MORE: What to know about ABS rules and robot umpires in 2026 season

To show the difference, here is what the official MLB X account posted afterwards. But the review itself was not shown on the broadcast. 

LIVE: Yankees vs. Giants on Opening Night

Who won the first challenge?

You wouldn't have known it from the broadcast, but the Giants won the first-ever MLB ABS challenge. The pitch was called a strike, and the batter, Caballero, challenged it. It was reviewed and ruled a strike.