By Jim Kimble / Published March 30, 2023
There are a few ways to watch Pittsburgh Pirates games live without a cable TV or satellite package.
Most games are on AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh. Nationally televised games during the regular season in 2023 are on FOX, ESPN, FS1, TBS and MLB Network. A few post-season games air on ABC.
How to Watch Pittsburgh Pirates Games
The Pittsburgh Pirates broadcast most of their games on AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh. The regional sports channel has exclusive rights to in-market Pittsburgh Pirates games.
AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh is carried by DIRECTV STREAM and fuboTV.
Apple TV+ will stream two live baseball games on Friday nights during the 2023 MLB season. NBC’s Peacock is streaming games on Sunday morning. (Schedule below.)
Keep in mind that streaming MLB games isn’t your only option. Cord-cutters can watch some national broadcast games for free using a TV antenna.
I started streaming MLB games in 2016 back when PlayStation Vue began carrying NESN in its channel lineup. This guide aims to give you a comprehensive look at how to watch Pirates games without cable TV for the 2023 season.
If you’re trying to narrow your focus to a specific cable TV network, no worries. You can read my guides on how to watch ABC, FOX, ESPN, FS1, TBS and MLB Network without cable.
Where can I watch AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh?
AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh is available to pay-tv subscribers in seven states.
Ohio, and parts of Indiana, Kentucky, northwestern Pennsylvania, eastern Tennessee, West Virginia, and the southwestern edge of New York are within the home broadcast area.
| Streaming Service | AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh | # of channels |
|---|---|---|
| DIRECTV STREAM | Yes | 105 |
| fuboTV | Yes | 152 |
| Hulu Live TV | No | 75 |
| Sling TV | No | 31-41 |
| YouTube TV | No | 128 |
The network also operates regional feeds for Cleveland and Cincinnati markets. The regional Cincinnati feed is also called Bally Sports Cincinnati in some TV listings and program guides.
How to Stream Pittsburgh Pirates Games
Watching live Pittsburgh Pirates games without cable TV is pretty simple. You just need a few things to start streaming MLB games on your TV.
- A streaming service that carries AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh and the channels that carry national broadcast Pittsburgh Pirates games
- An Internet connection
- A Smart TV or streaming device such as a Roku connected to your TV
You can watch live TV channels through the app of streaming services such as DIRECTV STREAM. Live TV streaming services have apps for Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast with Google TV.
These apps are also available on Smart TVs, iPhones, iPads and Android smartphones. You can watch live TV on a PC through a web browser.
DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM has every channel needed to watch Pittsburgh Pirates games in 2022.
A subscription costs $99.99 per month for more than 105 channels. AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, ESPN, MLB Network, FS1, and local channels such as ABC and FOX are included in the Choice lineup.
Subscribers can get three months of HBO Max, Showtime, Cinemax and EPIX for free before the monthly rates kick in. You can watch live TV on up to 20 screens at once.
You can sign up for a free 5-day trial without any obligations. Every plan includes unlimited Cloud DVR and a robust library of on-demand movies and shows.
There are no contracts. There are no additional regional sports fees.You can subscribe month to month and cancel whenever you want.
DIRECTV STREAM works on Roku, Android TV, Fire TV devices, Apple TV and smartphones and tablets.
You can look over the different channel lineups before making any decisions.
fubo
fubo (formerly fuboTV) has 152 live TV channels similar to a cable TV package.
ESPN, HGTV, MSNBC, Golf Channel and Hallmark channels are part of the Pro plan. You will have local ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX stations.
fubo is the only live TV service that offers select sporting events and entertainment in 4K resolution for Elite and Premier subscribers.
There’s an on-demand library of movies and TV shows. fubo includes 1,000 hours of Cloud DVR. You can catch up on sporting events that aired in the last 72 hours by using fubo’s “look back” feature.
A subscription costs $74.99 per month.
You can watch TV or on-demand content on 10 screens at once. fubo adds a regional sports fee. It costs $10.99 per month for one regional network. It’s $13.99 per month if you have two RSNs in your area.
You should look over the channel lineup for your area before signing up.
fubo works on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Fire Stick, Chromecast, Apple TV and Android TV devices. You can also watch live TV on a PC or use a mobile app on iPhone and Android smartphones.
You won’t have TBS, but that probably won’t matter to Pirates fans too much. There was only one Pirates game on TBS in 2020, and it was simulcast on AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh.
You can get a 7-day free trial. There are no contracts or obligations.
MLB.tv
The MLB also has MLB.tv which live streams all out-of-market games for every team.
Pittsburgh Pirates games are blacked out for fans living in the team’s home broadcast region. The service allows subscribers who live in an out-of-market area to watch Pittsburgh Pirates games.
A subscription to MLB.tv costs $24.99 per month. Amazon Prime members can get a free 7-day trial of MLB.tv through Amazon Channels. The regular rate kicks in once the trial ends.
Apple TV+
Apple TV+ is delivering two weekly Friday night games during the 2023 MLB season.
Apple TV+ subscribers can watch MLB games along with a number of original movies and TV shows. A subscription costs $6.99 per month after a free 7-day trial.
Apple TV+ works on most major streaming devices, including Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast with Google TV. Smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio, Panasonic and Hisense are also supported.
Are Pittsburgh Pirates games Apple TV+?
The Pittsburgh Pirates will play three regular season MLB games scheduled to stream live on Apple TV+. Here is a schedule of when the Pirates will be on Apple TV+.
| DATE | TIME (ET) | GAME |
|---|---|---|
| April 7 | 2:20 p.m. | Rangers at Cubs |
| April 7 | 7:20 p.m. | Padres at Braves |
| April 14 | 6:40 p.m. | Giants at Tigers |
| April 14 | 7:10 p.m. | Angels at Red Sox |
| April 21 | 7:05 p.m. | Blue Jays at Yankees |
| April 21 | 7:20 p.m. | Astros at Braves |
| April 28 | 8:10 p.m. | Phillies at Astros |
| April 28 | 10:10 p.m. | Cardinals at Dodgers |
| May 5 | 6:40 p.m. | White Sox at Reds |
| May 5 | 7:10 p.m. | Twins at Guardians |
| May 12 | 8:10 p.m. | Royals at Brewers |
| May 12 | 8:10 p.m. | Cubs at Twins |
| May 19 | 7:07 p.m. | Orioles at Blue Jays |
| May 19 | 7:20 p.m. | Mariners at Braves |
| May 26 | 7:05 p.m. | Padres at Yankees |
| May 26 | 7:10 p.m. | White Sox at Tigers |
| June 2 | 5:10 p.m. | Brewers at Reds |
| June 2 | 8:10 p.m. | Guardians at Twins |
| June 9 | 7:05 p.m. | Royals at Orioles |
| June 9 | 9:38 p.m. | Mariners at Angels |
| June 16 | 8:10 p.m. | Pirates at Brewers |
| June 16 | 10:10 p.m. | White Sox at Mariners |
| June 23 | 6:40 p.m. | Pirates at Marlins |
| June 23 | 7:05 p.m. | Mets at Phillies |
| June 23 | 7:05 p.m. | Brewers at Pirates |
| June 30 | 9:38 p.m. | Diamondbacks at Angels |
Peacock
Peacock begins streaming Sunday morning MLB games on April 23.
Games will be available on the Premium plan. Peacock Premium costs $4.99 per month. There is a free 7-day trial for Peacock Premium.
Peacock works on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Roku. The service has apps for a wide variety of Android TV-enabled Smart TVs, including Sony. Smart TVs by LG, Samsung, Vizio and Hisense are supported as well.
You can sign up for a free 7-day trial for Peacock Premium.
Are Pittsburgh Pirates games on Peacock?
The Pittsburgh Pirates are scheduled to play two regular season MLB games in 2023 that will stream live on Peacock. Here is a schedule of when the Pirates will appear on Peacock.
| DATE | TIME (ET) | GAME |
|---|---|---|
| April 23 | 12:05 p.m. | Colorado Rockies at Philadelphia Phillies |
| April 30 | 12:05 p.m. | Chicago Cubs at Miami Marlins |
| May 7 | 11:35 a.m. | Baltimore Orioles at Atlanta Braves |
| May 14 | 11:35 a.m. | Los Angeles Angels at Cleveland Guardians |
| May 21 | 11:35 a.m. | New York Yankees at Cincinnati Reds |
| May 28 | 11:35 a.m. | Los Angeles Dodgers at Tampa Bay Rays |
| June 4 | 11:35 a.m. | St. Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh Pirates |
| June 11 | 11:35 a.m. | Arizona Diamondbacks at Detroit Tigers |
| June 18 | 1:05 p.m. | Baltimore Orioles at Chicago Cubs |
| July 2 | 12:05 p.m. | Minnesota Twins at Baltimore Orioles |
| July 9 | 12:05 p.m. | Texas Rangers at Washington Nationals |
| July 16 | 12:05 p.m. | San Francisco Giants at Pittsburgh Pirates |
| July 23 | 12:05 p.m. | San Diego Padres at Detroit Tigers |
| July 30 | 12:05 p.m. | Los Angeles Angels at Toronto Blue Jays |
| August 6 | 12:05 p.m. | Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Guardians |
| August 13 | 12:05 p.m. | Detroit Tigers at Boston Red Sox |
| August 20 | 1:05 p.m. | Seattle Mariners at Houston Astros |
| August 27 | 12:05 p.m. | Los Angeles Angels at New York Mets |
| September 3 | 1:05 p.m. | Philadelphia Phillies at Milwaukee Brewers |
ESPN+
Yes. ESPN+ is once again streaming one MLB game per day that is part of the national broadcast schedule.
Out-of-market games are still governed by local blackout restrictions.
You can look over the MLB ESPN+ schedule for regular season games.
Replays are made available after a live game streams on ESPN+.
You will still need your local regional sports channel to watch home games.
A subscription to ESPN+ costs $9.99 per month, and you can check the upcoming lineup of MLB games.
How to Watch Pirates games free with a TV antenna
A TV antenna is the best way to watch Pittsburgh Pirates games that are carried on ABC and FOX for free.
If you have a TV antenna handy, but haven’t used it in a while, plug it into your television’s coax port and scan for channels. FOX broadcasts games throughout the regular season. ABC becomes a key channel for post-season games.
If you are new to TV antennas, here is a list of resources that I have written to get you started.
- How to Choose the Best TV Antenna and OTA DVR
- How to Connect Multiple TVs to One Antenna
- Review: The Best Indoor TV Antennas
- Review: The Best Outdoor TV Antennas
How to watch Pittsburgh Pirates FAQ
These are questions that Pirates fan ask when researching ways to stream or watch Pirates games without a pay TV provider.
Are Pittsburgh Pirates Games on YouTube TV?
No, YouTube TV does not carry AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh.
YouTube TV does have 128 live TV channels, including key sports networks for nationally televised games. A subscription costs $72.99 per month. Subscribers get unlimited Cloud DVR.
Can I watch the Pittsburgh Pirates on Hulu?
Hulu Live TV has ESPN, FS1, TBS and local FOX channels that carry national broadcast games for the Pittsburgh Pirates. But Hulu’s live TV plan does not carry AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh, which has home games for the San Diego Padres. A subscription includes 75 live TV channels, and unlimited Cloud DVR for $69.99 per month.
Can I watch Pirates games on Sling TV?
Sling Orange subscribers can watch the Pirates when games are on ESPN and TBS. FS1 is on the Sling Blue plan. Sling TV does not carry any regional sports networks.
Local FOX stations are in a limited number of markets. If you live in or around one of these cities, then you should be able to watch the Pirates when games are on local FOX stations:
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Chicago
- Dallas/Fort Worth
- Detroit
- Gainesville
- Houston
- Los Angeles
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis/St. Paul
- New York
- Orlando/Daytona/Melbourne
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa/St. Petersburg
- Washington, DC
How can I watch the Pittsburgh Pirates without cable?
If you want to watch the Pittsburgh Pirates AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh without cable in 2023, you have a couple of options.
DIRECTV STREAM has 105 live TV channels, including local networks, ESPN, TNT and TBS for $99.99 per month. Subscribers can watch on unlimited screens and Cloud DVR space. You can look over the channel lineup, or sign up for a 5-day free trial.
fubo has 152 live TV channels in the Pro bundle. Fubo has popular sports channels such as ESPN and NFL Network, along with entertainment, news and regional sports networks. A subscription is $74.99 per month along with a regional sports fee. You can sign up for a 7-day free trial.
What channel is the Pittsburgh Pirates game on tonight?
Pittsburgh Pirates games are typically on AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh. The schedule below breaks down what channel or streaming service has national broadcast games for the 2022 MLB season.
| DAY | PIRATES MLB NATIONAL BROADCAST |
|---|---|
| Sunday morning | Peacock |
| Sunday afternoon | TBS |
| Sunday night | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| Monday night | ESPN or FS1 |
| Tuesday night | TBS |
| Wednesday Night | ESPN, FS1, MLB Network |
| Thursday Night | ESPN, FOX and MLB Network |
| Friday Night | Apple TV+ |
| Saturday Afternoon | FOX |
| Saturday Night | FOX, FS1 |
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.
Note: This article was published on April 8, 2022, and has been updated.
Founder and Editor of The Cord Cutting Report. Before launching the site in 2016, he worked for more than two decades as a staff writer or correspondent for a number of daily newspapers, including The Boston Globe. His enthusiasm for tech began with the Atari 2600. Follow @james_kimble
