How to watch the 2023 MLB Playoffs Without Cable

It’s time to watch the MLB Playoffs, and to do so without a need or worry that comes with a cable subscription. With a dozen teams competing in the postseason this year, the excitement is at an all-time high.

MLB Playoffs
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2023 MLB Playoffs
All MLB Postseason games are on YouTube TV. (Photo credit: Jim Kimble / The Cord Cutting Report)

It’s time to watch the MLB Playoffs, and to do so without a cable subscription. With a dozen teams competing in the postseason this year, the excitement for baseball fans is at an all-time high.  

Inaugurating the 2023 postseason, the best-of-three Wild Card Series is set to kick off on Tuesday, Oct. 3 and runs until Thursday. Oct. 5. The League Division Series starts Saturday, Oct. 7. 

The Tampa Bay Rays are poised to clash with the Texas Rangers, while the Minnesota Twins are gearing up to face the Toronto Blue Jays. On another front, the Arizona Diamondbacks are squaring off against the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Philadelphia Phillies are all set to go head-to-head with the Miami Marlins. 

The stage is set for an electrifying start to this year’s MLB playoffs. 

But what if you’ve cut the cord on your cable subscription? Fear not. You can still catch all the action live. In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to watch the 2023 MLB playoffs without cable, ensuring you don’t miss a single live game.

MLB Postseason Schedule

Here’s a concise schedule of the 2023 Major League Baseball postseason, including dates and TV channels:

  • MLB Wild Card Series: October 3-5 on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2.
  • AL Divisional Series: October 7-13 on FOX and FS1.
  • NL Divisional Series: October 7-14 on TBS.
  • AL Championship Series: October 15-23 on FOX and FS1.
  • NL Championship Series: October 16-24 on TBS.
  • World Series: October 27-November 4 on FOX.

There are a number of live TV streaming services that carry all the cable TV and broadcast channels you need. Whether it’s the wild card games, divisional series, championship series, or the grand finale, you won’t miss any of the games.

What Channel is the MLB Playoffs on?

The MLB Playoffs require a mix of broadcast and cable TV channels, including ABC, FOX, ESPN, ESPN2, FS1 and TBS. The good news for cord-cutters is that after the Wild Card series, you can get by watching most of the MLB Playoffs on the cheap by adding a TV antenna to the mix. 

DIRECTV STREAM

BEST OVERALL

  • Over 75 Channels
  • Unlimited Screens
  • 5-day free trial, then $64.99 for 3 months (Save $30)

DIRECTV STREAM (formerly AT&T TV) has all the channels needed to watch every last pitch of the Wild Card Series right through to the League Championship Series.

The channel lineup has ESPN, ESPN2, FS1, TBS and local ABC and FOX stations. You can sign up for a 5-day free trial, and get $10 off the first three months of service.

All of these channel lineups are virtually identical to DIRECTV satellite service, but with a slight price difference.

Subscribers can get three months of Max, Showtime, Cinemax and MGM+ for free before the monthly rates kick in.

All subscribers get unlimited hours of Cloud DVR storage and 40,000 on-demand movies and shows. You can watch live TV on unlimited screens within your home. 

DIRECTV STREAM works on Roku, Android TV, Fire TV devices, Apple TV and smartphones and tablets. You can use apps on supported Smart TVs running on Google TV and Android TV. Subscriptions run month to month and so you can cancel whenever you want.

You can look over the different channel lineups before deciding whether to sign up.

Hulu Live TV

BEST BUNDLE

  • Over 75 Channels
  • Includes ad-supported ESPN+ & Disney+
  • $49.99/month for three months (Save $60)

Hulu Live TV is another reliable option for sports fans who want to stream the MLB Playoffs.

Hulu Live TV usually costs $69.99 per month, but new subscribers can get three months of service for $49.99 per month. 

A subscription includes ad-supported versions of Disney+ and ESPN+. You can stream TV channels on up to two devices at once. Subscribers get unlimited hours of Cloud DVR.

Local NBC, ABC and FOX stations and regional sports channels are available in most of the U.S.

You can quickly look over the channel lineup in your area.

Another big perk with a Hulu with Live TV is the big library of on-demand content. You’ll get unlimited access to TV shows, movies and originals on Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu on-demand.

Hulu with Live TV works on Apple TV, Roku, XBox One, Amazon Fire TV, Fire Stick and Chromecast.

(Editor’s Note: It might be a good time to lock in a lower price for a few months because a price increase is coming to Hulu Live. The new monthly rate of $76.99 per month arrives on Oct. 12.)

Sling TV

BUDGET OPTION

  • 30 to 40 Channels
  • Flexible plans
  • $40/month

Sling TV is a good budget option, especially if you already use a TV antenna for local broadcast channels such as ABC or FOX.

Sling Orange costs $40 per month, and has about 31 channels, including ESPN, ESPN2 and TBS. A subscription to Sling Blue costs $40 per month and carries 45+ channels FS1 and TBS.

Sling Blue subscribers can get local FOX and ABC stations in a limited number of markets. Sling Blue subscribers can watch live TV on three screens at once.

You can maximize your number of channels by combining Sling Orange and Sling Blue for $55 per month.

When you sign up for Sling TV, there are no contracts, or extra fees like cable TV. You can look over the channel lineup before deciding whether to sign up.

YouTube TV

SPORTS FAN FAVORITE

  • 128 Channels
  • Unlimited Cloud DVR
  • Free trial, then $72.99/mo.

YouTube TV has 128 channels, including ESPN, ESPN2, FOX, FS1, TBS and ABC for $72.99 per month.

YouTube TV only has one live TV plan.

The YouTube TV base plan carries other key sports channels for fans such as TNT, SEC Network, ACC Network, NFL Network, and MLB Network. 

You’ll be able to watch CNN, Golf Channel and FX. Unlimited Cloud DVR is included with a subscription. And you can create up to 6 profiles for a household per account.

The service works with Chromecast with Google TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and a number of Smart TVs. You can get a free 7-day trial, or look over the channel lineup for your area. 

Fubo

BIG CHANNEL LINEUP

  • 170 Channels
  • Locals & RSNs
  • Free trial, then $74.99/mo.

Fubo (formerly fuboTV) has local ABC and FOX stations along with ESPN and FS1, but it’s missing TBS from the channel lineup.

Without TBS, you can’t watch the National League Divisional Series or Championship series.

The Pro channel package costs $74.99 per month and has about 170 channels. A free trial is included in every plan.

The channel lineup includes local ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in most areas of the U.S. ESPN, ESPN2, Food Network, Fox News, HGTV, Big Ten Network, Disney Junior, and Comedy Central are part of the Pro bundle. You can find regional sports networks from Bally Sports and NBC Sports.

Can I watch the MLB Playoffs for free?

You can watch every game on ABC and FOX for free if you own a TV antenna and live within range to get over-the-air channels. 

Another option is to sign up for a free trial of DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo or YouTube TV. But be aware that you will be billed if you don’t cancel before the free trial ends. 

For more news on streaming, how-to guides and reviews, head over to the main page of The Cord Cutting Report or follow the CCR on Google News.

Jim Kimble is a seasoned industry expert with over two decades of journalism experience. He has been at the forefront of the cord-cutting movement since 2016, testing and writing about TV-related products and services. He founded The Cord Cutting Report in 2016, and serves as the editor.

Major publications, including MarketWatch, Forbes, and South Florida Sun Sentinel, have interviewed Kimble for his years of expertise. He gives advice on the complexities consumers are navigating with streaming options, and over-the-air TV. Kimble has been a staff writer or correspondent for several award-winning, daily newspapers, including The Boston Globe.