Your Essential Guide to Streaming MLB Games in 2026

The 2026 MLB season is on the horizon, and that means it’s time to explore the new ways fans can catch all 162 games of their favorite teams, plus playoffs and special events. With the league’s evolving streaming landscape, navigating your viewing options has become more complex yet manageable, thanks to a straightforward 16-step guide from Yahoo Sports.

For many fans, the first order of business is determining how to watch their home team, which can vary based on location and personal preference. While the best way to follow your local team often involves signing up for a cable bundle that includes a variety of sports channels, there are alternative routes for those looking to stream.

If you had MLB.TV last season, you can skip ahead by simply renewing your subscription. For those who opted for MLB Extra Innings with their cable or satellite provider, you’re also covered. However, if you’re new to MLB.TV, you’ll want to head to MLB’s streaming page, which will direct you to ESPN Unlimited. This new direct-to-consumer service, priced at $30 per month, will host MLB.TV—the platform fans have relied on for out-of-market games.

While $30 a month might seem steep, there’s a silver lining: this season, you can cancel ESPN Unlimited during your one-month free trial and still retain access to MLB.TV for the remainder of the season. However, next year could be a different story, as returning MLB.TV subscribers may find the renewal process changes and the free trial might not be available.

If the $30 monthly fee for ESPN Unlimited isn’t appealing, it’s important to note that you’ll still need access to ESPN to catch every baseball game. Although ESPN has stepped back from “Sunday Night Baseball,” the network will still air a selection of MLB games along with special events like the Little League Classic.

For those eager to watch “Sunday Night Baseball,” NBC has taken over the broadcast rights. To enjoy all the games aired by NBC, including the new “MLB Sunday Leadoff” package, fans will need to subscribe to Peacock, which costs $8 per month or $80 annually.

In an interesting twist, Netflix has also entered the MLB broadcasting arena, securing rights to the Opening Night game between the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants, the Home Run Derby, and the Field of Dreams game. To access these events, fans will need to subscribe to Netflix for at least three months at a rate of $8 per month (with ads).

Fox and Fox Sports 1 continue to be the go-to channels for the World Series, the MLB All-Star Game, and a significant portion of the Division and Championship Series games. For those looking to catch the other half of the postseason action, you’ll need a cable subscription or HBO Max, which costs $11 per month with ads.

When you tally up these streaming services—MLB.TV, ESPN Unlimited, Peacock, Netflix, Fox Sports 1, HBO Max, and potentially Amazon Prime for Yankees fans within their footprint—fans could be looking at a staggering $120 per month to watch out-of-market games without a cable subscription. This reality raises the question: does modern sports viewing feel fan-friendly?

The trend toward cord-cutting has reached a tipping point, as accessing the full range of MLB games now requires either a comprehensive cable package or a mix of multiple streaming subscriptions that may even surpass the cost of traditional cable. While the transactions involved in this streaming landscape are clear, they underscore the ongoing challenge for fans who must adapt to a new way of watching their beloved sport.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.