Netflix interested in hiring Barry Bonds for MLB coverage

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Netflix is targeting the all-time home run king. 

The streaming giant is pursuing Barry Bonds for its historic Opening Day game broadcast between the Giants and Yankees at Oracle Park in San Francisco on March 25, according to The Athletic.  

Bonds would likely “be on site for the pregame and postgame” if the two sides come to a deal, per the report.

Netflix is also reportedly trying to bring in CC Sabathia, who would provide a Yankees tie-in to counter Bonds, who played 15 years with the Giants. 


Barry Bonds in a black jacket waving with a smile.
Former San Francisco Giants player Barry Bonds waves as he arrives at a ceremony honoring Hunter Pence on the team’s Wall of Fame before a baseball game between the Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers in San Francisco, Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. AP

The Athletic added that it’s likely Elle Duncan, who left ESPN in November to become the new face of Netflix’s sports programming, will be the top presenter for the game. 

Beginning this year, Netflix will air a standalone, prime-time game to kick off the season as part of a three-year deal with MLB. 

The deal also gives them exclusive rights to the Home Run Derby and the “Field of Dreams” game on Aug. 13 in Dyersville, Iowa, between the Phillies and Twins. 

Bonds, whose career ended after the 2007 season, hasn’t had a national broadcasting job since his playing days. 

The legendary slugger was most recently in the news in December, when he was once again held out of the Baseball Hall of Fame, falling short of Cooperstown due to ties to steroids. 


C. C. Sabathia, in a New York Yankees uniform, waves to the crowd at Steinbrenner Field.
CC Sabathia is also being eyed by Netflix for its Opening Day game. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

Bonds works as a special advisor for the Giants and previously served as the Marlins’ hitting coach during the 2016 season.

Sabathia, who was part of the 2025 Hall of Fame class, has worked in various media ventures since retiring from baseball, including frequent appearances on MLB Network and hosting the “R2C2 Podcast” with Ryan Ruocco.

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