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The 2023 MLB season is well underway, with the path to this year's World Series set for plenty of teams as they look to follow in the footsteps of last year's champions, the Houston Astros, and claim the Commissioner's Trophy.
⚾️ Watch live MLB games here
Millions of fans from across the United States and worldwide will be tuning in to get their baseball diamond fix. With a 162-game regular campaign followed by a lengthy postseason currently broadcast over cable television, satellite providers, and streaming services, there have never been more ways to catch your favorite sides.
So pick up your bat, ready your pitch, and let GOAL take you through the 2023 MLB season, including when and where to watch games live and on-demand, the pros and cons of each option, and what will suit your viewing preferences.
2023 MLB season channels and streaming services
| Channel/Streamer | Sunday Night Baseball | MLB on TBS Tuesdays | MLB Network Showcase | MLB on FOX | Friday Night Baseball | MLB Sunday Leadoff | Misc. Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLB Network | X | ||||||
| ESPN / ABC | X | ||||||
| Fox / Fox Sports 1 | X | ||||||
| TBS | X | ||||||
| Apple TV+ | X | ||||||
| MLB.tv | X | ||||||
| Peacock | X |
Where can I watch the 2023 MLB season?
The regular 2023 MLB season is covered by a mixture of terrestrial broadcasters, cable television, and streaming services, owing to Major League Baseball's wide variety of deals with multiple outlets to cover baseball across the United States.
⚾️ Watch live MLB games here
Since 2022, MLB has been covered by six broadcasters, with the majority of them partway through long seven-year deals to carry matches. Fox are the only regular terrestrial provider of live MLB coverage, while
In addition, most games will be covered by regional sports networks (RSNs), which may offer exclusive or tandem coverage with other broadcasters of local games in a particular area of the country.
Best terrestrial and cable channels to watch 2023 MLB season
- ESPN / ESPN2 / ABC
- Fox / Fox Sports 1
- MLB Network
- TBS
Best streaming apps to watch 2023 MLB season
What are Regional Sports Networks (RSNs)?
Getty Images Regional sports networks (RSNs) are local affiliate broadcasters specific to various regions of the United States, which provide cable television coverage of their local MLB team regularly throughout the season.
They will typically broadcast coverage of in-market games - fixtures that include their designated team - across their local region, while they will typically be subject to a blackout when it comes to out-of-market games - fixtures featuring non-regional teams - to help juice interest and attendances in local fixtures.
⚾️ Watch live MLB games here
The rules around RSNs, blackouts, and the restrictive nature of both to wider coverage have been examined and discussed at length, particularly with the rise of streaming services. Still, for many, they can represent a good way to expand your MLB portfolio.
How to watch 2023 MLB season on terrestrial television
You can watch the 2023 MLB season on terrestrial television with Fox, which broadcasts MLB on Fox every week during the regular campaign. The program, which covers games played on Thursday and Saturday, is among the longest-running sports packages in MLB history, dating back to 1996.
In addition, Fox also holds the exclusive broadcast rights for the Major League Baseball All-Star Game and the World Series, ensuring the two flagship events of the 2023 MLS campaign remain on terrestrial television.
In addition, occasional games from ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball package will be shown on their terrestrial sister channel ABC, though these are relatively limited throughout the season.
Best terrestrial television to watch MLB
- Fox
- ABC
Pros & cons of terrestrial television
Pros
- Coverage - with a long-standing relationship with MLB, they offer the best coverage and will be front-and-center once again when showing the All-Star Game and World Series in 2023.
Cons
- Lack of local fixtures - local fixtures will likely be subjected to a blackout when played in your area, with RSNs likely to carry those games instead.
How to watch the 2023 MLB season on cable and satellite television
Getty Images If you want to step up from terrestrial television, you can watch the 2023 MLB season on cable and satellite television through several channels. ESPN offers near-exclusive coverage of games through its timeslot-specific Sunday Night Baseball and select Thursday fixtures, while TBS remains the home of MLB on TBS Tuesdays.
In addition, Fox Sports 1 and the MLB Netwalso ork share rights for games shown on Monday and Wednesday, with the former also showing selected Saturday games and the latter covering select Thursday fixtures.
Most of these channels can be found through various cable and satellite packages, each with pros and cons. Remember to consider what you want from your coverage to ensure you get the right package for your price and needs.
Best cable providers to watch MLB
- Cox - $56.00–$139.00 per month
- Optimum - $35.00–$115.00 per month
- Spectrum - $59.99 per month
- Xfinity - $20.00–$80.00 per month
Best satellite providers to watch MLB
- DIRECTV- $64.99–$154.99 per month
- DISH - $79.99–$109.99 per month
Pros & cons of cable and satellite TVs
Pros
- Variety of entertainment - cable television and satellite providers can also offer a wider variety of sports, film, news, and entertainment options.
Cons
- Higher price - more channels equals a higher price and another monthly cost.
How to watch MLB on streaming services
Getty Images To complete your coverage of the 2023 MLB season, you may want to invest in one of the streaming services that cover the league. Like terrestrial broadcast and cable television, streaming services have picked up two exclusive packages for the current campaign.
Apple TV+ hold exclusive rights to Friday evening matches through their Friday Night Baseball program. At the same time, Peacock - NBC's streaming arm- currently has the deal for games played on a Sunday morning or afternoon through their MLB Sunday Leadoff show.
In addition, ESPN+ and MLB.tv offer daily games, though local fixtures will be subject to a blackout. The majority of these apps can be found through numerous streaming providers, while all can be purchased as streaming apps separately too.
Best streaming services to watch MLB
- DIRECTV STREAM - $64.99–$154.99 per month
- fuboTV - $74.99–$94.99 per month
- Hulu + Live TV - $69.99–$82.99 per month
- Sling TV - $40.00–$55.00 per month
- YouTube TV - $72.99 per month
Best streaming apps to watch MLB
- Apple TV+ - $6.99 per month
- ESPN+ - $9.99 per month
- MLB.tv - $24.99 per month
- Peacock - $4.99-$9.99 per month
Pros & cons of streaming services
Pros
- No hassle - streaming services cut through the cords and hassle brought around by cable providers while offering an easy-to-access way to cover your baseball needs.
Variety of entertainment - can double as a one-stop shop for all your wider sports and entertainment too, with a variety of channels and apps included.
Cons
- Higher price - Another monthly cost, and you can pay more for a service you only require a portion of.
FAQS
How can I watch MLB games live?
You can watch MLB games live through Fox, one of several cable channels, or one of several streaming services.
How can I watch MLB on mobile and tablet?
You can watch MLB games on your mobile and tablet through a streaming app, such as ESPN+ or Peacock, downloaded to your device. In addition, you may be able to watch coverage of games through your streaming site of choice if they carry the app, such as Prime Video.
What are the blackout rules for MLB games?
MLB games are typically subject to blackout rules in their local region, though they will typically be carried by an RSN broadcaster.
Do I need a VPN to watch MLB games?
You do not need a VPN to watch MLB games; however, you may be able to use one to locate MLB games that are outside of your local broadcast area in the United States,
For more information, consider GOAL's guide to what VPN services may best suit your needs.
The final say
With such a variety of ways to watch the 2023 MLB season, you are spoilt for choice when it comes to covering baseball this year. If you're a casual fan, then you may be able to stick on Fox and enjoy a Saturday night game.
But if you're more of a die-hard looking to get your fix, we recommend looking into a cable or streaming provider to help cover you across all your bases in the diamond.