YES Network heads for Change ahead of 2026 Season

John "Flash" Flaherty is out at the YES network, among others

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NEW YORK — The YES Network is making changes ahead of the 2026 season.

For the past 20 seasons, former MLB Catcher, John “Flash” Flaherty has been a mainstay as a play-by-play announcer, in-booth analyst and as a pre and post game analyst. He announced on X this afternoon that he was not offered a contract by the YES network for 2026.

According to an article in The Athletic, Flaherty won’t be the only change coming to the YES Network staff. Former Yankees reliever Jeff Nelson, and pre and post game host, Dave Valle. The YES Network will be brining back Paul O’Neill, Joe Girardi and David Cone for the 2026 season.

Cone, who has a contract with ESPN, will likely be on the call for more game in 2026 due to ESPN getting less games with their new TV deal. The YES Network, and the fanbase, loved Girardi’s analysis and insights during the game, coming from a World Champion both as a player and as a manager, all with New York.

The YES Network is set to lean in on those three announcers for the majority of the games going into 2026, aiming for more consistency than what they already had.

Flaherty told The Athletic on Wednesday that he had an option in his contract for the 2026 season, but declined the option in August. Flaherty added that he expected the change to come.