Finding exactly where to watch MLB baseball used to be simple. You’d flip to your local sports channel, maybe catch a national game on Saturday, and that was it. Not anymore. Honestly, the 2026 season has turned into a giant jigsaw puzzle of apps, cable networks, and "exclusive" windows that can make even a die-hard fan's head spin.
The old world of Regional Sports Networks (RSNs) is essentially crumbling. If you're wondering why your usual channel isn't showing the game, it's probably because the "Main Street Sports" era—formerly known as Diamond Sports/Bally—is effectively over for many teams. Nine major clubs, including the Braves, Cardinals, and Tigers, recently ditched their old deals. They're moving toward a hybrid of local broadcast and streaming, often managed directly by MLB Media.
The Big Shakeup: Where to Watch MLB Baseball Nationally
Everything changed this year. NBC is back in a massive way, and Netflix has officially entered the chat. If you want to see the biggest matchups, you're going to need more than just a basic cable package.
Netflix is the new home for "Opening Night." They kicked off the 2026 season with the Yankees and Giants on March 25th. They also snatched the Home Run Derby away from ESPN. That’s a huge shift. If you want to see Aaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani launch moonshots in July, you’re looking at a Netflix subscription, not a cable box.
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NBC and Peacock are now the kings of Sundays. They have a three-year deal that makes them the exclusive home of Sunday Night Baseball. This isn't just a streaming thing; many games are on the main NBC broadcast network. They also have "MLB Sunday Leadoff," those early morning games that start around 11:30 AM or Noon ET.
A Quick Breakdown of National Partners:
- Fox/FS1: Still the place for the World Series and the All-Star Game. They usually own the Saturday afternoon and primetime windows.
- TBS/Max: They’ve kept their Tuesday night "MLB on TBS" franchise. You can also stream these games on Max (formerly HBO Max) if you have the B/R Sports Add-on.
- ESPN/ABC: They still have a 30-game package, mostly focused on summer weeknights and "holiday" games like Memorial Day.
- Apple TV+: "Friday Night Baseball" doubleheaders are still a thing here. It’s exclusive, meaning if your team is playing on Apple, it won’t be on your local channel.
Dealing With the "Blackout" Headache
Blackouts are the bane of every baseball fan's existence. Basically, MLB.TV—the league's out-of-market streaming service—is designed for fans who live away from their favorite team. If you live in Chicago and want to watch the Cubs on MLB.TV, you’re usually out of luck.
Except, that’s changing for a few lucky fanbases.
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The Washington Nationals are a great example of the new "Nationals.TV" model. Since they broke away from MASN, fans in the D.C. area can now pay $19.99 a month (or $99.99 a year) to stream local games directly through the MLB App with zero blackouts. The Seattle Mariners and several others are following this "MLB Media" path.
If you aren't in one of those "direct-to-consumer" markets yet, you’re stuck with the old rules. MLB.TV costs $149.99 for the full season or $29.99 a month. It’s great if you’re a Dodgers fan living in Maine, but it’s a paperweight for local games unless you use a VPN to "change" your location—though the league keeps getting better at blocking those.
The "Star-Spangled Sunday" and Special Events
Keep an eye on July 5th, 2026. NBC and Peacock are doing something called a "Roadblock." For the first time ever, they’ll have the rights to all 15 MLB games played that day. It’s a literal takeover.
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There’s also the Field of Dreams game. Netflix is streaming this one on August 13th, featuring the Phillies and the Twins. It’s the first time we’ve been back to the Iowa cornfields in four years, and it's being produced by the Emmy-winning MLB Network crew but hosted exclusively on the Netflix platform.
What You Should Actually Do Now
Don't just subscribe to everything at once. You'll go broke.
- Check your local team's status: Search for "[Team Name] local streaming 2026." If your team is handled by MLB Media (like the Nats, Padres, or Mariners), buy the "In-Market" package on the MLB App. It's the cheapest way to get 150+ games.
- Audit your streamers: If you already have Netflix and Peacock for shows, you're halfway there for the "big" national games.
- The "Free" Hack: Remember that many "Free Game of the Day" matchups are still available on MLB.TV even if you don't pay for a subscription. You just need a free MLB.com account.
- Hardware Matters: If you’re streaming, use a hardwired ethernet connection to your Roku or Apple TV. Baseball is 60 frames per second; any lag makes the ball look like a teleporting blur.
The landscape is messy, but it’s actually getting easier for fans in "bankrupt" RSN markets to finally watch their teams without a $100 cable bill. You just have to know which app to open.
To get started, head to the MLB.com Blackout Tool and enter your zip code. It’s the only way to know for sure which teams are considered "local" for you and whether you can buy a direct streaming plan or if you're stuck needing a cable-style replacement like Fubo or YouTube TV.