MLB spring training is upon us, and with that comes meaningful games. While many of baseball's stars are guaranteed to receive a roster spot, the same cannot be said of top prospects and free agent journeymen in search of full-time relevance. That's where the games come in for talent evaluators across the sport. As much fun as it is for fans to watch a towering Aaron Judge home run in the Grapefruit League, teams must use this time to consider their best course of action to complete their Opening Day rosters. Unfortunately, watching said games can be tougher than fans realize, especially when they aren't broadcast nationally.
Finding the games on basic cable and streaming devices can be a challenge due to lack of resources or even blackouts. Thankfully, we have you covered.
How to watch MLB spring training games on TV: A complete guide
MLB spring training games begin on Feb. 20 and run through March 24.
Watching spring training games on your local team's cable network is far from a guarantee. Some games aren't carried, while others are available via streaming only or on the radio exclusively. This makes for mass confusion, especially with spring training games set to start in short order. The best way to check how to watch your favorite team's spring training games is via their official website, but some are available via cable.
Team | Primary broadcast partner |
|---|---|
Arizona Diamondbacks | Dbacks.TV |
Athletics | NBC Bay Area |
Atlanta Braves | MLB TV |
Baltimore Orioles | MASN |
Boston Red Sox | NESN |
Chicago Cubs | Marquee |
Chicago White Sox | CHSN |
Cincinnati Reds | Reds.TV |
Cleveland Guardians | CLEGuardians.TV |
Colorado Rockies | Rockies.TV |
Detroit Tigers | MLB TV |
Houston Astros | Space City |
Kansas City Royals | Royals.TV |
Los Angeles Angels | Angels.TV |
Los Angeles Dodgers | Spectrum |
Miami Marlins | Marlins.TV |
Milwaukee Brewers | Brewers.TV |
Minnesota Twins | Twins.TV |
New York Mets | SNY |
New York Yankees | YES |
Philadelphia Phillies | NBC Sports Philly |
Pittsburgh Pirates | Pittsburgh Sports Network |
San Diego Padres | Padres.TV |
San Francisco Giants | NBC Bay Area |
Seattle Mariners | Mariners.TV |
St. Louis Cardinals | Cardinals.TV |
Tampa Bay Rays | MLB TV |
Texas Rangers | Rangers RSN |
Toronto Blue Jays | Sportsnet |
Washington Nationals | Nationals.TV |
MLB will stream the vast majority of games for teams that were previously part of the FanDuel Sports Network, or were carried by RSN's that have since gone under or cannot offer the same yearly revenue that teams had been receiving. MLB's deal isn't great for teams, either, but it provides more flexibility and guarantees, which owners will sign up for every single day.
MLB spring training national TV schedule
MLB spring training will be broadcast for the most part locally, but there are a few games available on national television. MLB Network will broadcast certain games for out-of-market viewers, though that schedule has yet to be released and is often dependent on which star players are available. As for ESPN, they released their four-game slate earlier this offseason.
- Braves vs Tigers: 1pm ET on March 2
- Team USA vs Giants: 3pm ET on March 3
- Yankees vs Red Sox: 1pm ET on March 4
- Dodgers vs Reds: 3pm ET on March 5
ESPN's 30-game package of MLB games limits how many national broadcasts they will get. There's a chance even more games will be shown on MLB's plethora of new broadcast partners, including streaming services like Roku and Apple.
How to stream MLB spring training games
All MLB spring training games can be streams on MLB.tv, but for a fee. As of this writing, the vast majority of spring training games are available. The season-long fee to watch out-of-market games is $149.99, or a monthly cost of $19.99 for in-market games involving teams that have signed TV contracts with MLB.
- MLB TV annually: $149.99
- In-market RSN subscriptions: $19.99/month
- MLB TV on Fubo: $29.99/month
MLB has also partnered with ESPN, meaning the MLB.tv product is available on ESPN Unlimited. Each yearly subscription comes with a free month of ESPN Unlimited. Baseball fans can also watch their favorite teams on the MLB app, with some games available on MLB Network for those out of market. For the teams that have yet to join the full local MLB package, streams are typically available online via the RSN's website and a fee based on your cable provider.
For those in-market, some MLB streams are available on Fubo and other national streaming services. However, that still doesn't solve the overwhelming problem MLB has with blackouts.
Explaining MLB's silly blackout restrictions
MLB blackout restrictions exist not just to infuriate fans, I promise. However, that is the end result, whether the league likes it or not. Expect this topic to be raised by owners during the next CBA, which is set to happen in December. Blackouts exist for a couple of reasons. First, they set parameters for local broadcasters, with the hope that cable companies in those areas will pay to host the RSN on their platforms. As we've seen in the past, that does not always work. Secondly, MLB sets blackout restrictions to drive stadium attendance, thus forcing fans to go to the games rather than watch at home.
If a game is on national television – minus a select few networks – you will have a tough time watching it elsewhere. This is even more infuriating when you don't have access to that network, such as exclusive broadcasts on Roku, Apple TV and the like. These are paid streaming services that not everyone subscribes to. That's the gimmick.
There are some areas in the United States – such as Iowa, with blackout resctrictions from six different teams – where it's nearly impossible to watch your favorite team without paying an extra buck. What's worse for MLB is that even as they buy up a number of teams' exclusive broadcasting rights, there will still be games your average baseball fan cannot watch, as they don't subscribe to the service of a national brand.
Yes, it's annoying, and no, it doesn't grow the game.