Wednesday marks the start of the 2026 Major League Baseball season, and it is becoming increasingly difficult for fans to keep track of how to watch games.
The season opener between the San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees will stream on a new MLB broadcast partner: Netflix. The platform has expanded into live sports, recently acquiring rights to select NFL matchups.
Netflix will also carry this year’s Home Run Derby and the Field of Dreams game between the Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies.
It is one of several outlets airing MLB games nationally this season.
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ESPN will air 30 games across its cable channels and app.
NBC will broadcast “Sunday Night Baseball” most weeks. When scheduling conflicts arise, particularly during football season, games will air on Peacock and be simulcast on NBCSN. Peacock will also stream 18 Sunday games starting at or before noon local time.
MLB will continue its existing partnerships with TBS, Fox and FS1, as well as its “Friday Night Baseball” package on Apple TV+.
While more national networks are entering MLB coverage, some teams face challenges airing games locally.
Many clubs previously had agreements with Diamond Sports Group, which broadcast games on regional cable networks. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2023, prompting teams to seek greater control over their local media rights.
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Fourteen teams will now produce their own broadcasts. Fans can stream in-market games for $99.99 per year or $19.99 per month.
Those teams are:
Arizona, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Colorado, Kansas City, Los Angeles Angels, Miami, Milwaukee, Minnesota, St. Louis, San Diego, Seattle, Tampa Bay and Washington.
For example, a Reds fan in Cincinnati can use the service to watch all games not airing nationally. For an additional $100, fans can access all other non-nationally televised games through MLB.TV.
Fans of the Athletics, Orioles, Dodgers, Mets, Phillies and Giants can also stream games through an MLB service, though those broadcasts will continue to be produced by regional sports networks.
Overall cost
A fan who wants to watch every game this season, without paying for full out-of-market access, would still face multiple costs.
The base streaming package costs $99.99 for most games. Fans would also need a cable subscription for games on ESPN, FS1 and TBS, along with subscriptions to Peacock and Apple TV+, and potentially Netflix.
