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How to watch St. Louis Cardinals vs. Tampa Bay Rays 2026 Opening Day game

The Rays and Cards will face off in St. Louis to open up their 2026 MLB seasons.

Matt Tamanini
Matt Tamanini is the News Editor at The Streamable, where he oversees daily news coverage and editorial strategy, with a particular focus on breaking stories, streaming comparisons, and major industry events. A well-rounded journalist with a diverse background, Matt joined The Streamable in 2022 after holding key editorial roles at several high-profile outlets. He has an extensive career in sports and entertainment journalism, having served as a senior editor for BroadwayWorld, the world’s largest theater website, and as managing editor for Land-Grant Holy Land, which covers Ohio State sports.
Read full bio ›
Matt Tamanini
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With a background in sports and entertainment reporting, he’s covered everything from Broadway to college football. He cut the cord in 2014 and has a sharp eye for streaming trends and a soft spot for Hallmark movies.
With a background in sports and entertainment reporting, he’s covered everything from Broadway to college football. He cut the cord in 2014 and has a sharp eye for streaming trends and a soft spot for Hallmark movies.

On Thursday, March 26, the St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays will open up their respective 2026 Major League Baseball seasons in the shadow of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. First pitch is scheduled for 4:15 p.m. ET and it will be broadcast on Cardinals.TV in the St. Louis market, on Rays.TV around Tampa, and on MLB.TV everywhere else around the country. If you are looking for a live TV streaming plan to watch the game — and the rest of the season — we recommend the DIRECTV MySports package with the MyHome Team add-on. It’s the cheapest way to get local games with the longest available free trial.

How to Watch St. Louis Cardinals vs. Tampa Bay Rays Opening Day

Everything you need to know to stream Cardinals vs. Rays:

Why do we recommend DIRECTV to watch Cardinals vs. Rays

We are recommending DIRECTV to watch this game, because it is one of the only two in-market options for fans to watch the game via a live TV streaming service. Fubo also carries the channels, but DIRECTV comes with a longer guaranteed free trial and a better collection of popular sports channels, so we are going with DIRECTV as our No. 1 option for this game.

And since Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and Sling TV don’t carry the channels, if you are in the home market and want to watch the game without a cable or satellite subscription, DIRECTV is the only option to watch Opening Day and games all season long.

For fans who live inside the local media markets, the only way to watch games this season is via a Cardinals.TV or Rays.TV subscription. This is the new team-specific in-market option that is a part of MLB.TV.

5-Day Trial
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DIRECTV

DIRECTV is one of The Streamable’s top choices for the best live TV streaming service overall in 2026, especially for users who want the most channels or want to watch the most live sports. With an unbeatable lineup of local, news, sports, and entertainment channels, three main signature packages, an unlimited DVR, and 20 simultaneous streams at home, DIRECTV remains a premier choice for any cord-cutter.

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Following the launch of several genre-specific Genre Packs, there are now even more flexible ways to watch DIRECTV. Options like MySports, MyEntertainment, MyNews, and MiEspañol provide affordable, targeted alternatives to larger bundles, allowing viewers to subscribe to a specific set of channels that match their interests without the cost of a full lineup.

DIRECTV starts at $59.99 / month for its Entertainment package. You can access your local regional sports network with the Choice package, which begins at $64.99 / month, as well as the MySports Pack $44.99 / month. At the top end, they also have an Ultimate ($94.99) for 218 channels. Slimmer Genre Packs for entertainment and news are MyEntertainment for $42.99 / month and MyNews $39.99 / month. There is no contract or broadcast TV fees with this DIRECTV streaming option.

The service was previously called DIRECTV STREAM, preceded by AT&T TV.

How much does DIRECTV cost in 2026?

DIRECTV now offers flexible entry points starting at $19.99/month for the MyKids Genre Pack, while full Signature Packages like Entertainment start at $84.99/month. See the full list: DIRECTV Pricing & Plans

Does DIRECTV have a free trial?

Yes, DIRECTV offers a 5-Day Free Trial for new customers, which includes access to your chosen package and any added Genre Packs.

What are DIRECTV Genre Packs?

Genre Packs are targeted, contract-free plans introduced in 2025. They include MySports ($69.99/mo), MyEntertainment ($34.99/mo), MyNews ($39.99/mo), and MiEspañol ($34.99/mo), often bundling apps like Max, Disney+, or Hulu.

How many channels does DIRECTV have?

The channel count varies by plan: the Entertainment package starts with 90+ channels, while the Premier package offers over 185+ channels. See the full list: DIRECTV Channels.

How many streams are allowed at once on DIRECTV?

DIRECTV allows for unlimited simultaneous streams on your home network and up to 3 streams while on the go. See more details: DIRECTV Simultaneous Streams

Does DIRECTV include local channels?

Yes, local affiliates like ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC are included in all Signature Packages and the MySports Genre Pack in most markets. See the full list: DIRECTV Local Channels.

Does DIRECTV have live sports?

DIRECTV is a leader in sports, offering ESPN, FS1, NFL Network, and MLB Network, plus Regional Sports Networks (RSNs) in the Choice plan and above. See the full list: DIRECTV Sports Channels.

Does DIRECTV offer premium channels?

Yes, you can add Max, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, STARZ, and Cinemax. Many 2026 Genre Packs now include these services as part of the base price. See the full list: DIRECTV Premium Channels.

Does DIRECTV offer 4K streaming?

DIRECTV provides dedicated 4K channels (104-106) for live sports and special events at no extra cost, provided you have a compatible 4K device.

Does DIRECTV have a DVR?

Every DIRECTV plan includes Unlimited Cloud DVR storage, allowing you to record and save shows for up to 9 months.

Is there a Regional Sports Network (RSN) fee on DIRECTV?

An RSN fee of up to $15.99/month applies to the Choice package and above, as these plans include local sports coverage. This fee is determined by your zip code and the number of Regional Sports Networks available in your area.

Can I avoid the RSN fee on DIRECTV?

Yes. To avoid the RSN fee, you can subscribe to the Entertainment package or the MySports Genre Pack ($69.99/mo), which bundles sports content without a separate itemized RSN charge. See the breakdown: DIRECTV RSN Fees & Locations.

5-Day Trial
$59.99+ / month
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Start streaming DIRECTV & save up to $30 off your 1st mo. of service! Learn how.

Can you watch Cardinals vs. Rays for free?

Of the two live streamers carrying the game, DIRECTV has the longest, reliable free trial in the industry at five days. So, you will be able to watch Opening Day (and a few other games) at no cost before having to pay for the service. If you decide that you want to keep DIRECTV, your best subscription option will be to sign up for the DIRECTV MySports plan and then add the MyHome Team Mini-Pack add-on for an additional $20 per month. This will ensure that you get all of your market’s regional sports networks. This will bring your monthly total to $85 per month, but you will have access to all of the sports channels to keep you in the action year-round.

Unfortunately, MLB.TV doesn’t offer a free trial, but if you sign up for MLB.TV, you do get a one-month free trial to ESPN Unlimited.

DIRECTV Fubo Hulu Philo Sling TV YouTube TV
Free Trial Free Trial Free 3-Day Trial Free Trial Save with Sling Free Trial
$20.99 $9.99 $28.99 $25 $19.99 $29.99 $45.99 $45.99 $64.99
Cardinals.TV + $24 + $59 - - - - - - -
Rays.TV + $24 + $59 - - - - - - -

How to stream the game outside of the home markets?

Now, if you do not live in the home market of either team, you can still watch the game; in fact, it might be cheaper and easier that way. Major League Baseball’s groundbreaking out-of-market streaming service MLB.TV will broadcast every game of the season that is not available on a national broadcast or cable channel like NBC, ESPN, Fox, FS1, TBS, or MLB Network, or streaming on Apple TV, Netflix, Peacock, or Prime Video.

You can sign up for a monthly subscription to watch any game for $30 per month. The annual all-teams version costs $150, and an individual team season-long package runs $130.

7-Day Trial
via amazon.com

MLB.TV

MLB.TV is the official streaming service of Major League Baseball. You can see every out-of-market game live or on-demand and choose home or away TV and radio feeds. The app allows fans to watch up to four games simultaneously on the same screen through its Multi-view feature. MLB.TV can be added to your Sling TV or Prime Video subscription.

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Users can choose to follow the entire league for “All Teams” ($139.99) plan, which is also available for “All Teams” ($29.99) a month, or you can stream one team’s out-of-market games for “Single Team” ($119.99).

One major caveat about the service: Your local games may be blacked out through MLB.TV, so you may still need to watch through your local provider. As of 2025, MLB.TV does offer in-market plans for a handful of teams, including the New York Mets, Oakland Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies, and San Francisco Giants.

If you want to go beyond the games, MLB.TV provides features, documentaries, and classic games.

7-Day Trial
$29.99+ / month
via amazon.com

Watch a preview of the 2026 MLB Season

How to watch Cardinals vs. Rays from anywhere

If you’ll be away from home and can’t watch the game as you normally would, you can still catch all of the action no matter where you are in the world with a VPN. A VPN can be used on your phone, tablet, or computer and make you appear to be back home — even when you’re not — making sure you feel at home no matter where you are. A VPN is a safe and secure way to stay protected online while streaming your favorite sports, movies, and shows on the go. Keep in mind that you will still need to be subscribed to a live TV streaming like DIRECTV in order to stream the Cardinals vs. Rays game with a VPN.

NordVPN is one of the best providers around, at one of the best prices. Currently, you can get two full years of protection for just $3.59 per month — plus you’ll get three extra months FREE. A high-speed VPN with best-in-class security that can be used on up to 10 devices at once — what more could you ask for? Simply sign up, install the software on your device of choice, and start streaming just as you would back home. It couldn’t be easier!

While NordVPN is our recommendation for the best VPN to use while you are traveling, there are a number of other high-quality options available depending on what you are looking for.

  • Best Features: ExpressVPN | Starting at $5 per month
  • Best Budget Option: Surfshark | Starting at $2.50 per month
  • Best Free Option: Proton VPN | Free plan available
Matt Tamanini
Matt Tamanini is the News Editor at The Streamable, where he oversees daily news coverage and editorial strategy, with a particular focus on breaking stories, streaming comparisons, and major industry events. A well-rounded journalist with a diverse background, Matt joined The Streamable in 2022 after holding key editorial roles at several high-profile outlets. He has an extensive career in sports and entertainment journalism, having served as a senior editor for BroadwayWorld, the world’s largest theater website, and as managing editor for Land-Grant Holy Land, which covers Ohio State sports.
Read full bio ›
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DIRECTV Cash Back

Let us know your e-mail address to send your $50 Amazon Gift Card when you sign up for DIRECTV STREAM.

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Hulu Live TV Cash Back

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  • You must click from The Streamable and complete your purchase on the Hulu Live TV website.
  • You’ll receive gift card 4-6 weeks after purchase (~2 weeks after your first month).
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