Start Watching MLB Network Without Cable: Streaming Options That Make It Easy

MLB Opening Day 2023 is just days away on March 30, and all 30 teams are playing! Don’t miss the nationally-televised ballgames on MLB Network and ESPN on Sling TV.

The MLB Network is the official premium channel of Major League Baseball. It features a wide range of content such as live games, studio shows, and other programming that caters to baseball fans throughout the calendar year.

This channel is available through a variety of streaming services. Read on to get all the details!

In a hurry? If you’re a baseball fan, you already know you want MLB Network. To save time, here are the services that provide it and great overall coverage:

How to Watch MLB Network Live Without Cable

Watching MLB Network on a streaming platform may be ideal for a variety of reasons. First, you can generally watch content on almost any device such as a phone, tablet, or traditional television set.

Also, you can choose from multiple providers that offer this channel at a variety of price points. Therefore, you can choose a service provider that meets your needs and budget as opposed to being stuck with whatever the single cable provider in your area has to offer.

Sign Up for a Free 7-Day Fubo Trial

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If you can’t watch your favorite movies and shows because of your location, a VPN will allow you to get the access you are entitled to, plus extra security and unequalled privacy. Check out our VPN Guide for everything you need to know, including our top pick ExpressVPN.

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Streaming Services With MLB Network

As a premium channel, you will not be able to receive MLB Network using an antenna. However, it is available through multiple streaming services.

FuboTV

The base FuboTV plan (Pro) includes over 100 channels including over 35 that are sports-oriented for $69.99 per month. MLB Network is not part of this plan. You can get it in the Fubo Extra add-on for $7.99/mo more. This includes 47 other channels.

You can also get it with the Sports Plus add-on for $10.99/mo and includes MLB Network Strike Zone, NBA TV, NFL RedZone, Pac-12 Networks, and much more.

FuboTV also comes with the ability to stream on up to 10 devices at once and includes 750 hours of cloud DVR storage.

See our FuboTV review for all the details.

Sign Up for a Free 7-Day Fubo Trial

DIRECTV STREAM

If you are looking to stream MLB Network through this platform, you can do so by signing up for the DIRECTV STREAM (formerly AT&T TV) Choice package. This package is $89.99 per month and includes access not just to MLB Network but to all the regional sports networks in your area, which will provide access to almost all the games of your local MLB team.

DIRECTV STREAM also provides unlimited cloud DVR storage as long as you sign-up online. And you can stream it on up to 20 devices at home and 3 away from home — a great deal for large households.

For more details, see our DIRECTV STREAM review.

Get DIRECTV STREAM Free for 5 Days

Sling TV

Like FuboTV, Sling TV does not provide MLB Network as part of either of its base plans for $35 per month (or $50 for both).

The MLB Network is available through the Sports Extra package that is another $11/mo. It comes with a number of other channels including MLB Network Strike Zone, NFL RedZone, and NHL Network.

Sling TV allows you to stream on one or three devices at a time, depending upon the channel. It also comes with 50 hours of cloud DVR.

Find out more in our Sling TV review and MLB overview.

Don’t miss Team USA at the World Baseball Classic all March for just $20 on Sling TV!

Save 50% With Sling TV

Other Ways to Get MLB Network

There are a couple of other ways to stream MLB Network:

• YouTube TV: For $64.99 per month you get 85+ channels including MLB Network. It doesn’t offer much in terms of RSNs, but MLB.TV is available as an add-on.
• MLB App: With an MLB account, you can watch if you have a DIRECTV STREAM or YouTube TV account. Alternatively, you can sign up with MLB.TV.

Sign Up for a Free 7-Day Fubo Trial

Superpower Your Live TV Streaming With a VPN

You can’t beat a VPN for privacy, security, and access. We have used them for years as an important part of our streaming toolkit and we recommend ExpressVPN.

i	See our VPN Buyer’s Guide for complete information on how to choose the best VPN for your needs.

Devices to Watch MLB Network

The streaming services we’ve discussed support most modern streaming TVs and other devices.

All three support Samsung smart TVs from the past few years. Sling TV and FuboTV also support LG, Vizio, and Android TV-based smart TV. FuboTV supports Hisense TVs.

All the services support the common “stick” devices: Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Roku. iOS and Android mobile devices are also universally supported. And they all allow casting with Chromecast either built-in to a device or with an external device.

FuboTV and Sling TV allow you to watch on the Xbox One gaming system. And Sling TV allows you to watch live TV on the Oculus VR device.

Finally, you can watch MLB Network on most web browsers.

Wrapping Up

MLB Network is a premium channel that broadcasts games, studio shows, and other types of programming throughout the year.

Depending on the streaming platform that you use to get this channel, it may be possible to acquire access to regional sports networks. This means that you have the option to watch almost all of your local team’s games.

Finally, you will likely be able to stream ESPN, ESPN2, and other national networks that broadcast MLB content. ESPN typically broadcasts games to a national audience on Sunday nights and some other nights throughout the regular season.

FAQs

What are the key differences between MLB Network and MLB Network Strike Zone?

You can watch live coverage of select regular-season games on MLB Network and MLB Network Strike Zone. However, Strike Zone focuses on providing sporadic coverage of all the games going on at any one time while MLB Network tends to broadcast full games. Furthermore, Strike Zone only covers games on Tuesday and Friday nights whereas MLB Network covers games throughout the week.

Why can’t you get MLB Network by using an antenna?

Channels such as MLB Network are available through cable or streaming service providers, which don’t broadcast their signals over the air. Therefore, they cannot be picked up by an antenna. Many MLB games are, however, broadcast via local channels like ABC, Fox, The CW, and beyond.

Are games on MLB Network subject to league blackout rules?

Generally speaking, games that are shown on MLB Network are subject to league blackout rules. If a game features a team in your local market, it may be necessary to watch that game on a regional or local channel. This is done to ensure that teams are given an opportunity to maximize their audience and the ability to cultivate a fanbase in their area.

You can check your local listings to determine if a game is available on MLB Network in your area. If a game is blacked out, it will likely be replayed later in the night or the next day.

How do I watch sports on channels besides MLB Network?

These guides show how to watch different sports channels without cable: