After a lengthy winter, Opening Day for the 2024 MLB season officially arrived in late March. But with the existence of streaming-exclusive games and network changes, it might be hard to figure out where games can be found. For those who need help, here’s a primer on how to watch MLB contests in 2024.
Contents
Local networks
Here’s a look at the local networks for all 30 MLB teams:
| Team | Primary Channel |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | MLB |
| Atlanta Braves | Bally Sports South |
| Baltimore Orioles | MASN |
| Boston Red Sox | NESN |
| Chicago Cubs | Marquee Sports Network |
| Chicago White Sox | NBC Sports Chicago |
| Cincinnati Reds | Bally Sports Ohio |
| Cleveland Guardians | Bally Sports Great Lakes |
| Colorado Rockies | MLB |
| Detroit Tigers | Bally Sports Detroit |
| Houston Astros | Space City Home Network |
| Kansas City Royals | Bally Sports Kansas City |
| Los Angeles Angels | Bally Sports West |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | Sportsnet Los Angeles |
| Miami Marlins | Bally Sports Florida |
| Milwaukee Brewers | Bally Sports Wisconsin |
| Minnesota Twins | Bally Sports North |
| New York Mets | SNY |
| New York Yankees | YES |
| Oakland Athletics | NBC Sports California |
| Philadelphia Phillies | NBC Sports Philadelphia |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | Sportsnet Pittsburgh |
| San Diego Padres | MLB |
| San Francisco Giants | NBC Sports Bay Area |
| Seattle Mariners | Root Sports Northwest |
| St. Louis Cardinals | Bally Sports Midwest |
| Tampa Bay Rays | Bally Sports Sun |
| Texas Rangers | Bally Sports Southwest |
| Toronto Blue Jays | Rogers Sportsnet (Canada) |
| Washington Nationals | MASN |
There are some changes to be aware of for 2024. One, the Astros’ new broadcast home is Space City Home Network, while the Pirates joined NESN-affiliated Sportsnet Pittsburgh.
Additionally, the Rockies will join the Padres and Diamondbacks to have their games produced by MLB.
However, the remaining Bally Sports-affiliated networks are set to retain the rights to teams that ended 2023 with the RSN.
Also, be aware that some teams may air locally televised games on networks or services outside of the networks listed above. For example, the Mets (WPIX), Phillies (WCAU), and Rangers (KTXA) all air select games on over-the-air television.
The Yankees, meanwhile, will have select games air on Amazon Prime Video. A subscription to Amazon Prime is required to watch those games in-market.
National networks
As far as national TV networks are concerned, ESPN, TBS, Fox & FS1, and MLB Network air games throughout the season.
Fox traditionally airs games on Saturdays but has aired Thursday regular-season games on Fox during the summer. Additionally, Fox gets the rights to the MLB All-Star Game. TBS games are aired on Tuesdays throughout the regular season. In-market games on TBS are blacked out to protect the RSN in one’s home market.
ESPN, meanwhile, has Sunday Night Baseball. ESPN will also air select preseason and regular season games, including the Rangers’ Opening Night tilt against the Cubs on March 28.
As for MLB Network, it was made available to baseball fans through a direct-to-consumer subscription in the summer of 2024. It costs $5.99 a month but does come free with MLB.TV. But like TBS, in-market games are blacked out on MLB Network.
Streaming
Yet again, MLB.TV returns for the 2024 season. MLB.TV is the league’s official streaming platform, which offers out-of-market — which means games from teams not present in one’s local market — contests that are not nationally televised (excluding Fox).
Baseball fans can either purchase MLB.TV outright from the league or receive through a cable provider via MLB Extra Innings. And, there are ways to save on an MLB.TV subscription.
For those who want to watch MLB local games in 2024 on a streaming service, keep in mind that the teams that will have games locally produced by MLB will be able to buy a package of those games directly from the league.
Aside from that, make sure to check whether a team’s network offers streaming. Several RSNs, including SNY and NESN, do. Also, be mindful that the streaming game has been changed by Amazon.
Apple TV+ and Roku
Over the past two seasons, Apple TV+ and Peacock have aired select regular-season contests exclusive to the respective platforms. Apple TV+ aired games every Friday night over the past two years, while Peacock had MLB Sunday Leadoff that aired either early Sunday afternoon or late Sunday morning.
In March 2024, MLB confirmed that games will air on Apple TV+ yet again in 2024. Additionally, the league and Apple TV+ announced the list of games that will exclusively air on the platform throughout the first half of 2024.
As for Sunday Leadoff, those games will now air on The Roku Channel beginning in May 2024. One game per week will be available to watch for free on the service from mid-May through mid-September 2024.
MLB’s deal with Peacock, meanwhile, expired after the 2023 campaign.
The 2024 MLB Postseason
For those who want to watch the 2024 MLB postseason, it’s important to note that the broadcast schedule varies from year to year. Fox and TBS split the AL and NL playoffs every season. TBS traditionally receives the ALDS and ALCS in even years, while Fox gets the NLDS and NLCS in even years.
ESPN, over the last two seasons, has received exclusive rights to the Wild Card Round.
The 2024 World Series will be aired on Fox.