What’s New for the 2020 MLB Season?
- You can stream most MLB teams locally with Live TV Streaming Service, except for the Orioles, Rockies, Pirates, Mariners and Nationals.
- Hulu Live TV added Marquee Sports Network, serving as the least expensive Cubs streaming option
- AT&T TV NOW added Spectrum SportsNet LA, allowing in-market streaming of Dodgers for first time
- AT&T TV NOW added NESN, AT&T SportsNet Southwest, MASN, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain, [AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh], ROOT Sports Northwest which will bring Orioles, Nationals, Rockies and Pirates games to streaming for the first time.
- Sling TV, fuboTV and YouTube TV (in select markets) no longer carry Fox Regional Sports Networks like YES Network and Fox Sports West (and PlayStation Vue shut down in January).
- fuboTV now offers MLB Network and MLB Network StrikeZone as part of Sports Add-On ($10.99)
- T-Mobile customers (including those from Sprint) will get access to MLB.TV for free
Do You Want to Watch Local or Out-of-Market Games?
If You Live in the Same Market as Your Favorite Team
After a nearly four-month delay due to COVID-19, this Thursday, July 23rd, MLB returns with a 60-game schedule.
There are five major streaming providers that offer Live TV Streaming of in-market MLB games. These allow you to watch games live using iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, Android TV, Chromecast and Web.
Top Pick
Hulu + Live TV
Price: $55
Includes: Your Local RSN, FOX, FS1, ESPN & TBS
For most teams, with Hulu + Live TV you’ll be able to watch every game whether it’s locally telecast or on national TV. You can try it for free with a 7-Day Free Trial.
Not only will you be able to watch games live on ESPN, FOX, FS1 & TBS, you can record it to your DVR or watch them on-demand.
Regional Telecasts
Regional Sports Networks
If you live in the same market as your favorite team, most of the games will be on a local regional sports network. You can stream 24 of 29 U.S.-based MLB teams locally on Live TV Streaming Services.
While you can still stream your favorite baseball team, your options are becoming more limited.
Services Dropped Fox Sports RSN Making Local Streaming More Difficult
Last August, Sling TV became the first service to drop Fox Sports RSNs including YES Network. Then in January, Fubo dropped them from their service.
While in March, YouTube TV dropped YES Network, Fox Sports West and Fox Sports Prime Ticket, they still carry some Fox Sports RSNs in select markets. They did drop them in many secondary markets, meaning if you live just a few hundred miles from your favorite team, you likely can’t get your local RSN.
Depending on Your Favorite Team, You Might Need a Different Streaming Service
Because of all the changes, the right Live TV Streaming Service for you really depends on which team you follow. Your best option for most teams is Hulu Live TV, since they are the least expensive service ($55) with Fox Sports RSNs, YES Network, NBC Sports RSNs, and for Marquee Sports Network to stream the Cubs.
However, for certain teams, you will need another service.
- For the Boston Red Sox on NESN, your only options are fuboTV or YouTube TV.
- For the Houston Astros on AT&T SportsNet Southwest, your only options are fuboTV and AT&T TV NOW Max Tier ($80)
- For the Los Angeles Dodgers on Spectrum Sportsnet LA, your only option is AT&T TV NOW Max Tier ($80)
- For the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals on MASN, your only option is AT&T TV NOW Max Tier ($80)
- For the Colorado Rockies (AT&T SportsNet RM), Pittsburgh Pirates (AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh), and Seattle Mariners (ROOT Sports Northwest) your only option is AT&T TV NOW Max Tier ($80)
Since every service doesn’t carry every RSN, the handy chart below shows which teams are available on each service. Click on the team name to see the full schedule and which games you’ll be able to watch with each provider.
TBD
National Telecasts
FOX, FS1, TBS, & ESPN
Most services include FOX, FS1, TBS, and ESPN in their basic plan. Only those games on FOX and ESPN Sunday Night Baseball will be exclusive telecasts, the remaining will also air locally.
FOX and FS1 will broadcast 22 and 37 games respectively over the course of the shortened season, while TBS will air a single Sunday afternoon game during the regular season
ESPN will broadcast 15 games including Sunday Night Baseball, as well as additional games throughout the week.
During the postseason, TBS will air the AL Wild Card Game, ALDS, and ALCS. ESPN will air the NL Wild Card Game, while FOX & MLBN will air the NLDS, while FS1 joins FOX for the NLDS.
The World Series will be exclusively televised on FOX.
MLB Network
MLB Network will broadcast select telecasts this season. For the general baseball fan, this is a good option to see teams that play outside of your home market.
You won’t be able to watch your local team though, as games of teams in your local market will be blacked out if the game is also being broadcast on your local RSN.
To stream MLB Network, you will either need to subscribe to Fubo, Sling TV, or YouTube TV.
| DTV STREAM | Fubo | Hulu | Philo | Sling TV | YouTube | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Sign Up | Free Trial | Get 50% Off | Sign Up | |||
| $79.99 | $91.99 | $76.99 | $25 | $40 | $40 | $72.99 | ||
| ESPN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | |
| Fox | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| MLB Network | + $15 | + $8 | ✓ | - | + $11 | + $11 | - | |
| TBS | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
All Live Streaming Options
You can stream live MLB games with Fubo, Hulu Live TV, Sling TV, AT&T TV NOW, and YouTube TV.
Hulu Live TV
Price: $55
Includes: Local RSN, FOX, FS1, ESPN, & TBS
Fubo
Price: $60
Includes: Local RSN, FOX, FS1, ESPN, & MLBN (+$6)
YouTube TV
Price: $65
Includes: Local RSN, FOX, FS1, ESPN, TBS, & MLBN
AT&T TV NOW
Price: $80
Includes: Local RSN, FOX, FS1, ESPN, & TBS
If you Live in a Different Market as Your Favorite Team
MLB.TV
If you live away from your favorite team, you can still catch nearly every game. The MLB offers it’s out-of-market package, MLB.TV, for $50 to watch a single team or $60 to watch every team. There is a 35% discount for Students and Military Members.
Unfortunately, all games on FOX, ESPN, and local broadcasts will be blacked out. You will need a Live TV Streaming Service for that.
You can stream on all major devices like Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, PS4, Xbox, iOS, Android, and Web.
You can either subscribe on Amazon Prime Video Channels or directly on MLB.TV.
If you’re a T-Mobile or now a Sprint customer, for the fifth year in a row, you can get it for FREE until August 4th.
ESPN+
ESPN+ will continue to air ~1 out-of-market game daily as part of the streaming service.
Local market blackout restrictions apply, so you won’t be able to watch games that are airing locally in your city. The OTT service from ESPN will allow fans to stream the games on the ESPN App on all major streaming devices.