By Jim Kimble / Updated April 8, 2022
This guide shows you how to watch San Diego Padres games live without a cable TV or satellite package.
Most games are on Bally Sports San Diego. Nationally televised games are on ABC, FOX, ESPN, FS1, TBS and MLB Network.
New ways to watch Padres games for free in 2022
Apple TV+ will stream two live baseball games on Friday nights during the 2022 MLB season. The Friday night doubleheaders on Apple will be free.
NBC’s Peacock is streaming games in a new Sunday morning time slot. (Schedule is below.)
Keep in mind that live 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. So I’m covering all your options for watching Padres games either free or within the streaming realm.
Live Streaming San Diego Padres Games
The San Diego Padres broadcast most of their games on Bally Sports San Diego. The regional sports channel has exclusive rights to in-market San Diego Padres games.
Bally Sports San Diego is only carried by one streaming service, DIRECTV STREAM.
Where can I watch Bally Sports San Diego?
Bally Sports San Diego is available to pay-TV subscribers in six regions.
San Diego County, Imperial County, Coachella Valley, Las Vegas Valley, Southern Arizona and Hawaii are within the home broadcast area.
Stream San Diego Padres Games on Roku, Fire TV Stick
Watching live San Diego Padres 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 Bally Sports San Diego and the channels that carry national broadcast San Diego Padres 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 San Diego Padres games in 2022.
A subscription costs $89.99 per month for 90+ channels. Bally Sports San Diego, 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.
Streaming Padres on ESPN and cable channels
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.
Are San Diego Padres Games on YouTube TV?
No, YouTube TV does not carry Bally Sports San Diego.
YouTube TV does have channels for nationally televised games. Hulu + Live TV and Sling TV carries channels for nationally televised San Diego Padres games as well.
Using MLB.tv for Padres games
The MLB also has MLB.tv which live streams all out-of-market games for every team.
San Diego Padres 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 San Diego Padres 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.
Padres games on Apple TV+ and Peacock
Apple TV+ is delivering a weekly Friday night doubleheader during the 2022 MLB season.
The first leg of doubleheader MLB games will be free to anyone with internet access, according to Apple. The company released its schedule of games that begin on April 8.
Apple TV+ works on most major streaming devices including Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Google Chromecast with Google TV. Smart TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio, Panasonic and Hisense are also supported.
Peacock begins streaming Sunday morning MLB games on May 8.
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.
| DATE | TIME | MATCHUP |
|---|---|---|
| May 8 | 11:30 a.m. ET | Chicago White Sox at Boston Red Sox |
| May 15 | 11:30 a.m. ET | San Diego Padres at Atlanta Braves |
| May 22 | 11:30 a.m. ET | St. Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh Pirates |
| May 29 | 11:30 a.m. ET | San Francisco Giants at Cincinnati Reds |
| June 5 | 11:30 a.m. ET | Detroit Tigers at New York Yankees |
| June 12 | 11:30 a.m. ET | Oakland Athletics at Cleveland Guardians |
| June 19 | Noon ET | Philadelphia Phillies at Washington Nationals |
| June 26 | Noon ET | New York Mets at Miami Marlins |
| July 3 | Noon ET | Kansas City Royals at Detroit Tigers |
| July 10 | Noon ET | Los Angeles Angels at Baltimore Orioles |
| July 17 | Noon ET | Kansas City Royals at Toronto Blue Jays |
| July 24 | Noon ET | Chicago Cubs at Philadelphia Phillies |
| July 31 | Noon ET | Detroit Tigers at Toronto Blue Jays |
| August 7 | Noon ET | Houston Astros at Cleveland Guardians |
| August 14 | Noon ET | San Diego Padres at Washington Nationals |
| August 21 | Noon ET | Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Guardians |
| August 28 | Noon ET | Los Angeles Dodgers at Miami Marlins |
| September 4 | Noon ET | Toronto Blue Jays at Pittsburgh Pirates |
Peacock works on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Roku. The service also 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 Padres games on ESPN+ in 2022?
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.
In other words, you will need your local regional sports channel to watch home games. Each MLB team will be on ESPN+ at least 10 times by the end of the season. Replays are made available after a live game streams on ESPN+.
A subscription to ESPN+ costs $6.99 per month, and you can check the upcoming lineup of MLB games.
How to Watch Padres games free with a TV antenna
A TV antenna is the best way to watch San Diego Padres 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
What channel is the San Diego Padres game on tonight?
San Diego Padres games are typically on Bally Sports San Diego. The schedule below breaks down what channel or streaming service has national broadcast games for the 2022 MLB season.
| DAY | PADRES 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 |
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