If you’re looking to cut the cord by canceling your cable subscription but don’t want to miss out on your favorite Major League Baseball team’s games, that’s entirely understandable. Thanks to a number of streaming options, not only do you have multiple ways to catch your games, but you might even find more games than you would with a traditional cable subscription, depending on the package.
What you’ll want to opt for depends on if all you’re looking for is MLB, or if you’d like some additional sports or other programming as well. We’ll start off with the more focused options, then move to more general ones later on in this article.
Streaming services
MLB.TV
If all you care about is baseball, then MLB.TV is what you’ll want to try first. For $25 per month or $116 per year, you’ll be able to watch every out-of-market game live or on demand in HD quality. If you’re only interested in a single team, you can opt for the single team package for $90 per year. This service is subject to the same blackout restrictions as many pay-TV packages, but you’ll be able to watch archived games 90 minutes after they’re finished airing. MLB.TV is available on a vast array of devices including Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Android TV, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One game consoles, and smart TVs from LG, Panasonic, and Samsung.
Sling TV
Sling TV is currently the most popular live TV streaming service, mainly because it’s so customizable. While Sling will cover most of your baseball needs, it won’t cover all of them. Most of the channels that air MLB games are available via the service, including ESPN, TBS, Fox (assuming Sling TV carries your local affiliate), and Fox Sports. There are two caveats: The first is that ESPN channels are only available in Sling Orange, and Fox networks are only available in Sling Blue, so you’ll need to subscribe to both for $40 per month. The second is that the MLB Network isn’t currently available via any Sling TV package, so you won’t be able to watch every televised game. Sling TV is available for a wide variety of devices. For all the details, see our guide to Sling TV.
DirecTV Now
It’s not anywhere near as flexible as Sling TV when it comes to bundling channels that suit you best, but DirecTV Now will let you watch more games. In addition to ESPN, TBS, Fox Sports, and Fox affiliates, DirecTV Now also carries the MLB Network. Subscriptions start at $35 per month, which will get you ESPN, TBS, Fox, and Fox Sports 1 for less than you’d pay for the same channels with Sling TV, but if you want the MLB Network, you’ll have to spring for the $50 per month “Just Right” package. For a list of supported devices, see the DirecTV Now website.
PlayStation Vue
While it’s not as popular as Sling TV or DirecTV Now, PlayStation Vue is actually more affordable if you’re looking to watch every televised MLB game online. Its “Core” package includes ESPN, TBS, Fox (again, if PS Vue carries your local affiliate), Fox Sports 1, and the MLB Network for just $45 per month. If you’d rather forgo the MLB Network and save a little money, the “Access” package offers everything above aside from the MLB Network for $35 per month. PlayStation Vue doesn’t carry as many channels as DirecTV Now — Viacom channels are notably absent — but if you’re looking to watch MLB games online and the occasional TV show, it’s a good option. For more info, including all the devices you can use, see our guide to everything you need to know about PlayStation Vue.
YouTube TV
A relatively new kid on the block, YouTube TV is also the most affordable live TV streaming option on this list that will bring you every televised MLB game. It’s also not flexible in the slightest. YouTube TV offers only one base package at $40 per month, but it carries ESPN, TBS, Fox Sports 1, the MLB Network, and local Fox affiliates, depending on where you live. There are a handful of additional networks you can add for a few more dollars per month, but if the only sport you care about is baseball, the standard package has you covered. For details, see the YouTube TV website.
Hulu with Live TV
It might cost the same as YouTube TV, but for MLB fans, Hulu with Live TV might not be as good a bargain, since it lacks the MLB Network. On the other hand, its single $40 per month plan does feature ESPN, TBS, Fox Sports 1, and Fox affiliates. Hulu’s secret weapon is that along with live TV streaming, the monthly fee also grants access to the entire streaming library that was initially Hulu’s claim to fame. If you’re willing to forgo the games that air on the MLB Network for a deep on-demand library, Hulu with Live TV is a great deal. For more details, take a look at our deep dive into Hulu with Live TV.
FuboTV
Billing itself as a sports-first streaming service, FuboTV is actually lacking compared to some of the other options above since it doesn’t carry ESPN, TBS, or the MLB Network. You’ll be able to watch MLB games on Fox Sports 1 and your local Fox affiliate if FuboTV carries it, but you’ll be missing the other games. If you’re only looking for baseball, FuboTV isn’t a great deal as its base package goes for $45 per month (though your first month will only cost you $20). But if you’re the type of sports fan who watches baseball, football, hockey, basketball, and especially soccer, it might be worth it as it carries more pure sports networks than any of the above options. If that sounds interesting, we’ve got a much more in-depth look at FuboTV.
Other options
If you’re not a baseball fanatic but just want to watch the occasional game, Facebook may have you covered. In March 2018, Facebook and MLB came to an agreement to stream 25 games via Facebook Watch. This is far from every game of the season, but if you’re a casual fan, it might be enough, plus these games won’t be found on MLB.TV. It also doesn’t matter where you live, as there are no blackout restrictions. For a schedule of games airing on Facebook Watch, see the MLB.TV website.
Above are some of the best options you’ll find, especially if you’re looking for official streams. If none of the above options appeal to you, there is also a subreddit dedicated to MLB live streams, though what you’ll find here won’t always be legitimate. If you’re going to go this oute, be careful what you download and/or click on.
If you’ve got your eye on one of the above live TV streaming services and you’re not sure which is best for you when it comes to watching something other than baseball, we’ve got a comparison of the top services to help you decide on one.
