How to Watch Baseball Online: MLB Streaming Guide (2023)

The MLB playoffs are back on October 3rd.

Stream them live with Sling TV!

In a hurry? If you just want to start watching MLB, these three services will do that and provide good overall viewing options:

For baseball fans that have cut the cord, there are more ways than ever to watch MLB without cable TV thanks to the great access provided by the top streaming services.

Today we will be taking a look at the channels that will be bringing you MLB action all summer long as well as the various ways that you can watch baseball both at home or on the go.

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How MLB Is Broadcast

Major League Baseball was around long before TV or even radio! This, combined with the 162 games each team plays per season, makes for a complicated system of game broadcasting.

There are almost 5,000 games played in the regular MLB season each year. The good news is that all the games are broadcast! But where?

Nationally Televised Games

Almost all days of the regular season, there is at least one MLB game being nationally broadcast. And most days it’s more — often as many as four or five. Most often, it’s two.

Lucky for cord-cutters, the games are broadcast on major channels that are supported by the top streaming services:

• ESPN: Show a wide selection of games — sometimes back-to-back — on their main channel. Games also air on ESPN2.
• Fox: Features night games on local Fox affiliate channels.
• FS1: The main Fox Sports channel where all its MLB games go.
• MLB Network: Far and away the place to watch nationally televised games.
• TBS: Shows a number of games throughout the season and then a lot of playoff games.

Note that a couple of specialty streaming services are exclusively airing MLB games this year. Apple TV+ will be presenting Friday Night Baseball — a doubleheader event. And Peacock will be presenting games as well. ESPN+ will also feature many games as in previous seasons.

Regionally Televised Games

Even with the hundreds of nationally televised games, there are still thousands of baseball games each year that are broadcast by regional sports networks (RSNs). If you are a fan of a team across the nation, you can use a service like MLB.tv. But if you are a fan of the home team, you need access to its RSN.

Access to RSNs is limited to nonexistent for most streaming services. Fubo had provided a pretty good selection of them — especially for the price. But with the addition of the Bally Sports channels this year, they are quite a bit better than “pretty good.” Others, like Hulu + Live TV, provide even less. And low-cost services like Sling TV offer none at all.

The star in this area is DIRECTV STREAM, which provides RSN access to every team except for the Toronto Blue Jays (see below — SN Now) and, strangely, the Philadelphia Phillies. But Fubo now offers almost as many (everything outside of LA and NY).

To see if your local team is included with a streaming service, see the following table. Note that RSNs are only provided in the DIRECTV STREAM Choice plan ($99.99/mo) and above. The RSNs are included with the base plans from Fubo ($74.99/mo) and Hulu + Live TV ($69.99/mo).

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Team (RSN)	DIRECTV	Fubo	Hulu
Arizona Diamondbacks (BS Arizona)	✅	✅	❌
Atlanta Braves (BS South/BS Southeast)	✅	✅	❌
Baltimore Orioles‎ (MASN)	✅	❌	❌
Boston Red Sox (NESN)	✅	✅	❌
Chicago Cubs (Marquee Sports Network)	✅	✅	❌
Chicago White Sox (NBC Sports Chicago)	✅	✅	✅
Cincinnati Reds (BS Ohio)	✅	✅	❌
Cleveland Indians (BS Great Lakes)	✅	✅	❌
Colorado Rockies (AT&T SN Rocky Mountain)	✅	✅	❌
Detroit Tigers (BS Detroit)	✅	✅	❌
Houston Astros (AT&T SN Southwest)	✅	✅	❌
Kansas City Royals (BS Kansas City)	✅	✅	❌
Los Angeles Angels (BS West)	✅	✅	❌
Los Angeles Dodgers (Spectrum SN LA)	✅	❌	❌
Miami Marlins (BS Florida/BS Sun)	✅	✅	❌
Milwaukee Brewers (BS Wisconsin)	✅	✅	❌
Minnesota Twins (BS North)	✅	✅	❌
New York Mets (SN New York)	✅	✅	✅
New York Yankees (YES Network)	✅	❌	❌
Oakland Athletics (NBC Sports California)	✅	✅	✅
Philadelphia Phillies (NBC Sports Philadelphia)	❌	✅	✅
Pittsburgh Pirates (AT&T SN Pittsburgh)	✅	✅	❌
San Diego Padres (MLB.TV)	❌	✅	❌
San Francisco Giants (NBC Sports Bay Area)	✅	✅	✅
Seattle Mariners (Root Sports Northwest)	✅	✅	❌
St Louis Cardinals (BS Midwest)	✅	✅	❌
Tampa Bay Rays (BS Florida/BS Sun)	✅	✅	❌
Texas Rangers (BS Southwest)	✅	✅	❌
Toronto Blue Jays (MLB.TV)	❌	✅	❌
Washington Nationals‎ (MASN)	✅	❌	❌

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As you can see, if you’re a Giants fan in San Francisco, you can go with any of these three streaming services. The same goes for Mets fans in New York. But Yankees fans in New York? You need to go with DIRECTV STREAM.

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Other brands worth checking out include Hotspot Shield and CyberGhost.

Streaming MLB Without Cable

There are various ways to live stream MLB. Which way you choose will depend upon exactly what you are looking for. Since most fans will want to watch their hometown teams locally, we’ll highlight those services that allow that.

Fubo: Great Sports With Good RSN Coverage

Fubo (formerly FuboTV) is an outstanding streaming service for sports. Its basic plan ($74.99/mo) of 110+ channels includes 38 sports channels. Included in those channels are ESPN, Fox, and FS1.

Fubo now offers the vast majority of RSNs. However, if you qualify for them, the cost is slightly higher. If you get one RSN, it is $85.98/mo. But if you get 2 or more, it is $88.98/mo.

If you want MLB Network, you will need to get the Fubo Extra ($7.99/mo) or Sports Plus ($10.99/mo) add-ons. At this time, Fubo doesn’t carry any Turner channels, so TBS is not available.

Fubo makes up for this by providing RSNs for 9 teams: Red Sox, Cubs, White Sox, Astros, Mets, Athletics, Phillies, Pirates, and Giants.

MLB Channels	ESPN, Fox, FS1
Add-on Channels	MLB Network
Local Teams	9
Cloud DVR	1000 hours
Simultaneous Screens	10
Free Trial	✅
Fubo Price	$74.99/mo

Fubo is probably the best sports streaming service with unmatched coverage of international sports as well as big American sports channels like NFL Network. If you are an MLB and a general sports fan, it’s a great choice. And, of course, it’s a great choice if your team is one of the 9 they provide an RSN for.

Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial. Or see the following for more information:

• Fubo Review
• Fubo Packages
• Fubo Local Channels
• Fubo Devices.

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DIRECTV STREAM: King of MLB Streaming

With its basic (Entertainment — $74.99/mo) plan, DIRECTV STREAM doesn’t offer that much for an MLB fan. You get ESPN, Fox, FS1, and TBS — along with 75+ other channels. Frankly, you’d be better off with something like the Sling TV Orange/Blue plan for $20 less.

But DIRECTV STREAM’s Choice plan for $99.99/mo is, quite simply, the best deal around for the MLB fan. It includes all the channels you need to watch nationally televised games: ESPN, Fox, FS1, MLB Network, and TBS. But there’s much more.

DIRECTV STREAM offers the RSN for every team except the Philadelphia Phillies and the Toronto Blue Jays. So you will get to see all the games for your local team. No blackouts!

MLB Channels	ESPN, Fox, FS1, MLBN, TBS
Add-on Channels	ESPN Deportes
Local Teams	28
Cloud DVR	Unlimited (online orders)
Simultaneous Screens	Unlimited
Free Trial	✅
DIRECTV STREAM Price	$99.99/mo

In addition to its exceptional MLB support, DIRECTV STREAM offers 100+ other channels including local channels. Plus, the included RSNs give you access to local coverage of NBA, NHL, and MLS.

New customers get 5-day free trial with DIRECTV STREAM. Or, if you want more information, see our review.

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Sling TV: Great Price for Nationally Televised Games

Sling TV is a great low-cost streaming service with solid plans for just $40.00/mo. But one of the consequences of this is that they offer no RSNs.

But for the $55.00/mo Blue/Orange plan, you get ESPN, Fox, FS1, and TBS. And with the Sports Extra add-on ($15/mo), you also get MLB Network. That’s a total of $65/mo for all the channels you need to see every nationally televised MLB game.

MLB Channels	ESPN, Fox, FS1, TBS
Add-on Channels	MLB Network
Local Teams	0
Cloud DVR	50 hours
Simultaneous Screens	3
Free Trial	❌
Sling TV Price	$55.00/mo

With the complete package at $65/mo, you could get a total of roughly 70 channels including local channels Fox and NBC as well as sports channels MLB StrikeZone, NBA TV, NHL Network, Tennis Channel, and a lot more.

Save 50% on your first month of Sling TV. If you want more information first, you can find it in the following:

• Sling TV Review
• Sling TV Packages
• Sling TV Local Channels
• Sling TV Devices
• Sling TV for College Baseball
• Sling TV College Baseball Schedule
• Sling TV Men’s College World Series Selection Show
• Sling TV Women’s College World Series
• Sling TV Men’s College World Series.

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Hulu + Live TV: Solid Service in Select Market

Hulu Live offers a good overall streaming service with ESPN, Fox, FS1, and TBS. Unfortunately, it does not provide access to MLB Network and there is currently no way to get it. But this is more than made up for by the fact that it comes with ESPN+.

You also get access to RSN for 6 teams: Red Sox, White Sox, Mets, Athletics, Phillies, and Giants. So if one of those is your local team, $69.99/mo is a pretty good deal for Hulu + Live TV.

MLB Channels	ESPN+, Fox, FS1, TBS
Add-on Channels	❌
Local Teams	6
Cloud DVR	Unlimited (9 month storage)
Simultaneous Screens	2
Free Trial	❌
Hulu Price	$69.99/mo

In addition to its MLB coverage, Hulu + Live TV offers access to 85+ other channels, its industry-leading on-demand library, and Disney+.

If you still have questions, check out these resources:

• Hulu + Live TV Review
• Hulu + Live TV Packages
• Hulu + Live TV Local Channels.

Try Hulu + Live TV Today!

Try Hulu + Live TV Today!

Other MLB Streaming Options

There are other options for streaming MLB:

• MLB Game of the Week Live on YouTube: Roughly once a week, MLB streams a live game that anyone can watch for free!
• MLB App: Mostly an interface for MLB.tv, you can watch the Free Game of the Day with it.
• YouTube TV: A solid general streaming service with all the channels for nationally televised games as well as access to 6 RSNs.
• MLB.tv: For some fans, MLB.tv is a great service. It allows you to watch most MLB games live for $24.99 per month or $149.99 for the whole season (the price goes down as the season progresses).
  
  The problem is that there is a blackout delay for all in-market games — those (home and away) that involve your home team. So you have to wait an hour and a half after the game has ended to watch it.
  
  Additionally, all nationally televised games are blacked out. This also means the service is limited to regular-season games. So you will also need access to a streaming service for those games. Finally, MLB.tv doesn’t offer any playoff games.
  
  Still, MLB.tv can be a good deal if you don’t mind the restrictions. And subscribers can get a cheaper price if they are only interested in the games of a single team.

Superpower Your Sports Streaming With a VPN

For the sake of privacy, security, and access, you should be using a VPN. They are low-cost and easy to use. We’ve been using them for years and our top pick is ExpressVPN. Other brands worth checking out include Hotspot Shield and CyberGhost.

i	Our VPN Buyer’s Guide provides a complete introduction and all you need to know to choose the best VPN for your needs.

Supported TVs and Streaming Devices to Watch MLB

The streaming services offer great support for modern TVs and other devices.

DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, and Sling TV all support smart TVs including those with Android TV built-in.

In addition to these, you can turn your regular TV into a smart TV via a device that plugs into the HDMI input. These include Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Roku. All the streaming services support these devices.

You can also watch MLB games on mobile devices. All the streaming services highlighted here support Android smartphones and iOS devices like iPhones and iPads.

Google also offers Chromecast. It allows you to stream video from your phone to your TV. It’s super easy and is supported by all the streaming services.

Also supported are web browsers. This may not seem very sexy, but it works well. You can stream on a laptop computer and connect it (via HDMI cable) to your TV and watch films, shows, and sporting events in all their glory!

DIRECTV STREAM also supports its own device that makes moving from cable to streaming less intimidating. But if you want to watch on the Xbox, you will have to go with Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, or Sling TV. And only Hulu supports the PlayStation.

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How to Watch Your Favorite MLB Teams

For information on streaming a specific team, see the following articles:

Wrapping Up

True MLB fanatics should get a streaming service that offers the RSN for their favorite local channel. In the vast majority of case, our top choice is Fubo. Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial..

In some case, your best bet is Hulu + Live TV. Try one month for $69.99. But if you live near the Dodgers, Yankees, Orioles, or Nationals, DIRECTV STREAM is your best option. New customers get 5-day free trial with DIRECTV STREAM.

For most fans, Fubo is our top choice for streaming baseball. Fubo allows you to try out its service with a free trial.

Sign Up for a Free Fubo Trial

See Also

If you still have questions, check out these articles:

• How to Watch Spring Training Without Cable (Sling TV schedule and guide)
• MLB Playoffs Without Cable
• How to Watch the World Series Without Cable.

FAQs

How do I watch MLB playoffs?

We have several guides on watching the MLB playoffs:

• MLB Playoffs Overview
• American League Championship Series
• National League Championship Series
• World Series

Beyond MLB, we have guides for watching NCAA baseball (including the College World Series and selection show and the Women’s College World Series) and the World Baseball Classic (or just Team USA).

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What is the cheapest way to watch MLB?

The cheapest way to watch MLB is to set up an antenna and get it free when games stream on local Fox affiliates. Sling TV allows you to do this easily by including a free antenna (if you pay for two months in advance). And your antenna channels are integrated with its streaming channels, which, with Sling Orange, include ESPN and TBS.

Is MLB TV free with Amazon Prime?

In general, Amazon Prime does on-demand streaming. But now that they are part owners of the YES Network (15%), they are live streaming a number of Yankees games. The catch? You must be in the YES Network coverage area: New York, Connecticut, and parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Other viewers will have to wait until 90 minutes after the game ends.

Does ESPN+ have all MLB games?

ESPN+ is a great deal for sports fans at $9.99/mo. But it doesn’t offer all the MLB games. It does however offer roughly one MLB game every day of the regular season. This is somewhat more than the number of games ESPN itself broadcasts so it’s worth considering.

How can I watch the World Series?

The 2022 World Series will air exclusively on Fox. This is great news for fans because Fox is included in the base plans of all the major streaming services. It also means that you should be able to watch it in HD with a TV antenna. You won’t, however, be able to watch the World Series with MLB.tv since it doesn’t stream any post-season games.

How can I watch MLB live on YouTube?

The MLB YouTube channel is offering the MLB Game of the Week Live on YouTube. Despite the name, however, it isn’t exactly a game each week. For the season, it is offering 21 games. This certainly won’t satisfy an MLB fan but it’s a nice service to have.

Can I watch MLB 2022 on Fubo?

Yes, FuboTV subscribers can watch MLB 2022 games on ESPN, Fox, FS1, and MLB Network. They also provide regional sports networks for all the Bally Sports teams and 9 other MLB teams:

• Boston Red Sox (NESN)
• Chicago Cubs (Marquee Sports Network)
• Chicago White Sox (NBC Sports Chicago)
• Houston Astros (AT&T SportsNet Southwest)
• New York Mets (SportsNet New York)
• Oakland Athletics (NBC Sports California)
• San Francisco Giants (NBC Sports Bay Area)
• Philadelphia Phillies (NBC Sports Philadelphia)
• Pittsburgh Pirates (AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh).

What sports add-on channels can I watch with Fubo?

Fubo’s base 130+ channel plan includes 38 sports channels, so you may not need any add-ons. But Fubo has them if you decide you do. Their primary Sports Plus add-on costs $10.99/mo and includes 26 extra sports channels:

The International Sports Plus add-on costs $6.99/mo and offers 8 channels:

Where can I watch college baseball?

College sports in general are mostly on the ESPN networks — ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC, and ACC. The cheapest way to get the ESPN channels is Sling TV. Some games are exclusively on ESPN+, some are on FloSports, and some are on regional networks that only service the local area. Check your local listings and your team’s NCAA website for more info.

What is the World Baseball Classic?

The World Baseball Classic is a kind of baseball World Cup — a big tournament of 20 countries for a trophy and world baseball bragging rights. It started in 2006, and was held again in 2009, 2013, and 2017. It was supposed to take place again in 2021, but COVID had other plans, and this year the delayed WBC is going on all March. If you’re curious, you can check out our guide to watching it, or just following the American baseball Dream Team.