How to watch MLB postseason games in 2023 without blackouts

Updated: October 4, 2023

Securely stream postseason baseball live online with ExpressVPN!

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The 2023 MLB postseason has officially arrived! Despite a late-season slump, Jose Altuve and the Houston Astros look to become baseball’s first repeat champions since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees. Over in the National League, Ronald Acuña Jr.‘s Braves and Freddie Freeman‘s Dodgers seek returns to the Fall Classic. The expanded Wild Card Round begins Tuesday, October 3, as four best-of-three series get underway. Who will survive and advance to the Divisional Round?

Whether you’re looking to find the best way to watch the MLB using MLB.TV, or test cord-cutting services that include MLB action, you can do it all with the help of a VPN. Read on for all the ways to watch MLB games live online.

How to watch MLB postseason games in 2023 without blackouts

The easiest way to watch every MLB postseason game is with an MLB.TV subscription. MLB.TV is available globally, and ExpressVPN works seamlessly with MLB.TV to ensure you can stream the action privately and securely.

MLB.tv

Price: 25 USD/month or 95 USD/season

The MLB.tv app is the most comprehensive and affordable option for streaming the entire MLB season. By connecting to a VPN server location where games are not being broadcast, you can avoid MLB blackouts and even choose which broadcast you want to watch (from the home or visiting team). The service comes with a seven-day free trial, and also offers a monthly option. New to 2023 is the ability to stream minor-league games, including all 60 Triple-A and Double-A clubs.

MLB.TV International users can live stream the Home Run Derby, All-Star Game, and postseason without blackouts.

To privately and securely stream MLB games live in blazing-fast HD with unlimited bandwidth:

  1. Get ExpressVPN.
  2. Download the ExpressVPN app to your smart TV, mobile phone, tablet, or other preferred streaming device.
  3. Connect to a server location that matches the broadcaster you want to watch. For example, Americans can connect to a U.S. server such as Los Angeles, Seattle, or Denver to stream the live coverage on MLB.TV.
  4. Head to MLB.TV and sign up for the free trial.
  5. Batter up!

Can I use a VPN to watch MLB games from another country?

While you can watch baseball all season long by connecting to a VPN server location in a country other than your own, doing so may violate copyright or infringe upon your streaming service’s Terms of Use and the ExpressVPN Terms of Service. As a security and privacy tool, ExpressVPN is designed so that no one can see or control what you do when connected to our VPN service—not even us. So you are responsible for verifying that your use complies with all relevant terms and laws.

Why do you need a VPN to watch MLB games online?

You’ll want to add ExpressVPN to your MLB viewing experience. Not only does ExpressVPN offer servers in 94 countries across the globe, all of which are optimized for speed and security, but you can stream every game, from spring training through the World Series, on computers, smartphones, and even smart TVs and gaming consoles. You can have up to eight simultaneous connections, allowing you to watch your favorite teams—and track your fantasy team along the way—in blazing-fast HD.

Best VPN for watching MLB games in 2023

ExpressVPN is the best VPN for safely and securely streaming the entire 2023 MLB season. Our high-speed servers allow you to enjoy every pitch without missing a single second regardless of your device. ExpressVPN offers easy-to-use apps for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS, as well as platforms that other VPN companies don’t support, like Linux, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, and routers, plus browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. If you need help along the way, ExpressVPN offers 24/7 live chat support and a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee!

Why is my VPN not working with MLB.tv?

ExpressVPN’s advanced server network is optimized for compatibility with MLB.tv, and most users can stream without any issues. But if you should ever encounter a problem, our dedicated Support Team is available via live chat 24/7 to help you overcome any obstacles in trying to watch your favorite baseball team. All ExpressVPN plans are covered by a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

Should I use a free VPN to watch MLB.tv?

Rather than use a free VPN to watch MLB games, baseball fans should instead use ExpressVPN all season long. ExpressVPN offers high-speed servers in 94 countries and easy-to-use apps for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. Additionally, ExpressVPN is available on platforms that other VPN companies may not support, like Linux, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, and routers, plus browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. If you need help along the way, ExpressVPN offers 24/7 live chat support and a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee!

Key Features:

  • High-speed servers in 94 countries across the globe, all optimized for speed and security
  • Up to 8 simultaneous connections
  • 5-star customer service with 24/7 live chat support
  • Strict privacy policy: No activity logs and no connection logs
  • Comprehensive support site filled with DIY troubleshooting articles, handy video tutorials, and more
  • The industry’s most advanced VPN server technology, TrustedServer, wipes data on every reboot
  • Our innovative Threat Manager protects your phone from malware and other suspicious tracking apps
  • Next-gen Lightway protocol offers greater speeds, security, and reliability, especially on mobile

How to watch 2023 MLB games without blackouts

MLB.TV is great and fantastically comprehensive, you still have to worry about blackouts. To avoid MLB blackouts, you need to connect to a secure VPN server location where games are not being aired.

If you’re in Boston, for example, and Red Sox games are being broadcast on TV, connect to a VPN server location in another city or country, and watch the MLB.tv stream privately, securely, and free from bandwidth throttling by your ISP. If a game is on the national blackouts list, connect instead through an international server in a country like the Netherlands, Japan, or the UK.

Best VPN for MLB blackout games

ExpressVPN allows you to safely and securely stream every MLB game. You can use MLB.TV and ExpressVPN on various devices, including tablets and gaming consoles.

To set up ExpressVPN on your device, follow the corresponding link below:

Note that MLB.TV will allow you to stream the All-Star Game and every playoff game through the World Series so long as you can authenticate a TV service provider.

Where to watch MLB games online without cable

With ExpressVPN, you can stream MLB games on both national broadcasters—including ESPN, TBS, FS1, and Fox—as well as regional sports networks. All national channels are available through cord-cutting services. Some platforms, such as DirecTV Stream, also carry regional sports networks like YES and NESN.

Watching on a computer? For the best streaming experience, be sure to use the ExpressVPN browser extension for ChromeFirefox, or Edge.

Sling TV

Price: Varies

Sling TV includes channels that carry MLB games, such as ESPN, MLB Network, TBS, Fox, and FS1, as well as some regional sports networks. To get all of these channels, American subscribers need to get Sling Orange as well as Sling Blue (a combined package currently costs 30 USD). Use the “Sports Extra” add-on for Sling TV in order to watch MLB Network for an extra 10 USD/month. Please note that Sling no longer offers a free trial as of June 2023.

Fubo

Price: 75 USD/month

Channels: TBS, ESPN

Country: U.S.

On the downside, Fubo does not offer TBS, which airs national games on Tuesdays and select postseason games. But on the plus side, it’s one of the few cord-cutting services to offer select regional sports networks for U.S. viewers, such as Marquee Sports Network (Cubs), NBC Sports Bay Area (Giants), NESN (Red Sox), and Root Sports Northwest (Mariners). Note that for games on regional sports networks, the teams available to you will be determined by the home zip code on your billing account. In addition, the “Sports Plus” package that includes MLB Network costs an additional 11 USD per month. Fubo also announced that it will include MLB.TV as an add-on for 25 USD/month, though standard bloackout rules still apply. Fubo comes with a 7-day free trial.

Note: You will need a U.S. credit/debit card to subscribe. The billing address used may determine which local channels are available, and you may be unable to change your location.

DirecTV Stream

Price: 70 USD/month

DirecTV Stream is often on the pricier side, especially if you want the MLB Network, but it’s a great option for U.S. fans to stream MLB games if you prefer a cord-cutting service over an additional streaming app. DirecTV’s lowest package starts at 65 USD/month (before jumping to its normal price of 75 USD/month after three months), and the service offers a 5-day free trial.

YouTube TV

Price: 73 USD/month and up

YouTube TV offers Americans a variety of channels that carry MLB games, and the subscription costs 73 USD/month. You may need to submit a U.S. ZIP code (e.g., 10022, 48104, etc.), but it accepts a wide array of payment options. If you don’t feel like committing to YouTube TV, use the free trial. However, note that YouTube TV dropped MLB Network in January 2023 amid a carriage dispute, and the two sides still have not reached an agreement as of September 2023.

Want it on the big screen? Learn about all the ways to get ExpressVPN on your TV.

Amazon Prime Video

Price: 25 USD/month for the MLB.tv add-on

Amazon Prime offers MLB.tv as an add-on for 25 USD/month (on top of the regular 139 USD annual membership). There’s a 30-day free trial available. Note as of June 12, you can pay 45 USD for the rest of the season for a single-team plan through Prime Video channels.

Hulu+Live TV

Price: 70 USD/month

Hulu+Live TV offers most of the national channels broadcasting MLB for American fans, except for the MLB Network and regional sports networks. A free trial is not available.

Sky Sports

Price: 22 GBP/month and up

Channels: Sky Sports

Living in the UK? Sky Sports is your best bet for catching live streams of the games. You will also need to provide a valid postal code and a UK/Ireland credit or debit card.

If you have a Sky subscription, you can stream content with Sky Go by connecting to a secure server location in the UK and then logging in to your Sky Go account.

2023 MLB postseason schedule

The 2023 MLB postseason officially begins Tuesday, October 3, with the expanded Wild Card round. You can find the complete schedule below. Please know that all games will be available on MLB.TV International.

Wild Card Round

SeriesDate and timeTV
American League No. 4 Tampa Bay Rays vs. American League No. 5 Texas RangersSeries begins Tuesday, October 3, at 3:08 p.m. ET / 8:08 p.m. BSTABC
American League No. 3 Minnesota Twins vs. American League No. 6 Toronto Blue JaysSeries begins Tuesday, October 3, at 4:38 p.m. ET / 9:38 p.m. BSTESPN, Sportsnet
National League No. 3 Milwaukee Brewers vs. National League No. 6 Arizona DiamondbacksSeries begins Tuesday, October 3, at 7:08 p.m. ET / 12:08 a.m. BSTESPN 2
National League No. 4 Philadelphia Phillies vs. National League No. 5 Miami MarlinsSeries begins Tuesday, October 3, at 8:08 p.m. ET / 1:08 a.m. BSTESPN

How will the MLB playoffs work in 2023?

What is the new MLB playoff format?

Major League Baseball introduced a new expanded playoff format in 2022. Twelve teams (six from each league) make the postseason, with the top two division winners receiving playoff byes. The winning teams in each Wild Card round will begin the Division Series on the road. The Division Series remains a best-of-five series, while the League Championship Series and World Series are still best-of-seven. 

As has been the case since 2017, whichever team had a better regular-season record will have home-field advantage in the World Series. For example, suppose the Los Angeles Dodgers meet the Minnesota Twins in the 2023 World Series. The Dodgers would host Games 1, 2, 6, and 7 (if necessary) because they finished the regular season with more victories.

How do the MLB wild card playoffs work?

The 2023 MLB Wild Card Round features eight total teams, four in each league. The No. 3 seed in each league (the division winner with the worst record, so the Minnesota Twins in the American League and the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League) will host the No. 6 seed (Toronto Blue Jays and Arizona Diamondbacks, respectively) in a best-of-three series. The No. 4-seeded Tampa Bay Rays and Philadelphia Phillies will respectively host the No. 5-seeded Texas Rangers and Miami Marlins in a different best-of-three series.  If two or more teams are tied for a playoff spot at the end of the regular season, their rankings will be determined by a mathematical tiebreaker system, with head-to-head record being the first tiebreaker.

2023 World Series odds

Will Jose Altuve and the Houston Astros repeat as World Series champions? Here are the latest odds according to the FanDuel Sportsbook.

TeamOdds
Atlanta Braves+250
Los Angeles Dodgers+410
Houston Astros+480
Baltimore Orioles+700
Tampa Bay Rays+1200
Philadelphia Phillies+1200
Texas Rangers+1800
Minnesota Twins+1800
Toronto Blue Jays+2000
Milwaukee Brewers+2000
Arizona Diamondbacks+4000
Miami Marlins+5000

2023 MLB rule changes

Baseball games in 2023 will look far different than they have in recent years. Here’s a full guide featuring every significant change, from rules to scheduling, that fans must know about ahead of the postseason.

  • MLB games have averaged at least three hours every year since 2012, topping out at 3:11 in 2021 before dropping to 3:06 a year ago.The pitch clock is arguably the most significant rule change, especially for those hoping to catch an entire Yankees-Red Sox game. There will be a 15-second timer between pitches with the bases empty and a 20-second clock with runners on base. Like the minors, there is a 30-second timer between batters. Pitchers who violate the timer are charged with an automatic ball, and batters who violate the timer receive an automatic strike. In the case of hitters, they must be in the box and alert to the pitcher by the 8-second mark.
  • Additionally, pitchers are now limited to two “disengagements, which refers to either stepping off or attempting to pick off a batter per plate appearance. Keep an eye on baserunners who rely more on vision than speed, such as the Yankees’ Aaron Judge
  • Speaking of hitters, you know those shifts that turned a base hit up the middle into an easy groundout to second? Those days could be on the way out, as a defense is now required to have at least four players on the infield and at least two infielders entirely on either side of second base. As with the pitch timer, violating that rule means an automatic ball for the pitcher. Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager and Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Kyle Schwarber are among those who stand to immediately benefit.
  • Bases are now 18 inches square, up from 15 inches square, while home plate will remain unchanged. You’ll likely see more stolen base attempts and fewer potential collisions on the basepaths. 
  • As the NBA and NHL have previously done, Major League Baseball has finally adopted a balanced schedule. Gone are the days of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds playing 19 times a year. Instead, each divisional team will play 13 games against their division rivals and 64 games against teams in the same league. Each team will also play 46 interleague games—assuming, of course, that no games are canceled. Pirates fans are now guaranteed to see the Tampa Bay Rays, Kansas City Royals, and Oakland Athletics every year instead of every 3-4 years. 

Watch 2023 MLB games on Apple TV+

Price: 7 USD/month (seven-day free trial)

MLB games are back on AppleTV+ for the 2023 season! You can catch Friday Night Baseball throughout the year on Apple TV+. Although the games are no longer free, AppleTV+ does offer a seven-day free trial you can take advantage of. Although blackouts do not apply, please note that the games will exclusively air on Apple TV+. For example, the YES Network will not have the April 21 matchup between the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays. However, you can still listen to the radio feed either via the MLB app.

Watch 2023 MLB games on Peacock

Price: 6 USD/month

Peacock will air 19 live games throughout the 2023 MLB season, some of which will start as early as 11:35 a.m. ET. As with the Apple TV+ games, all Peacock games are exclusive to the app and will not air on regional sports networks. However, International MLB.TV subscribers will have access to the live and on demand game broadcast using their MLB.TV subscription.

Key dates for the 2023 MLB season

EventDateTV Network
First Spring Training gamesFebruary 24MLB Network
World Baseball ClassicMarch 7-21Fox, FS1, FS1, Fox Deportes, Tubi
Opening DayMarch 30ESPN, MLB Network
MLB World Tour (Mexico City)April 29-30MLB.TV
MLB World Tour (London)June 24-25MLB.TV
July 4July 4ESPN, MLB Network
Home Run DerbyJuly 10Fox
All-Star GameJuly 11Fox
MLB PlayoffsOctober 3-November 2023ABC, Fox, TBS, FS1

ExpressVPN is a VPN service not intended to be used as a means of copyright circumvention. Please read the ExpressVPN Terms of Service and your content provider’s Terms of Use for more details.

FAQ for streaming baseball

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Comments

  1. This doesn’t work all the time. I’m not sure if the MLB app is getting wise to VPNs but the Boston Yankee game last night was blacked out no matter what VPN location I used in the states. I finally had success with a site in Canada, however it dumped every time there was a commercial break and it required reconnecting.

  2. Express VPN isn’t working for the mlb.tv package like this article states. It did work last year. Have you got this fixed yet? The only reason I have express vpn is for baseball and now it’s not working.

  3. Trying to watch MLB.TV on laptop with Express VPN turned on. When I attempt to stream a live game, I get an error. MLB.TV’s website says you may experience streaming issues while connected to a VPN.

    Any thoughts?

  4. I’m using express VPN on Android and my first two games worked, but today’s game is getting blocked. Same team and same city. Any tips?

    1. Hi Richard,

      Please try the connecting to the closest server location you previously connected to. Also, please decline sharing your location with the app if possible.

  5. Why are Astros games still blacked out using a vpn and setting location as UK? I’ve followed instructions. This has been worthless so far

  6. Hello …
    Can you provide me with a streaming site that could provide Fox Sports Midwest via a Roku device?

    Thanks … bud hodge

  7. I have the ExpressVPN service. Can I use ExpressVPN to sign into MLB.TV to stream blackout games and then cast to a chromecast, or will it note that my Chromecast is on a router located in a blackout area?

  8. tried to stream Baltimore Orioles games on IPVANISH vpn using amazon firetv. miserable failure. why would YOUR vpn be better ? and i’ve heard VPN’s have some sort of trouble with Amazon fire products (by FAR the best and most commonly used streaming devices. Obviously your vpn is not helpful to us if it doesnt work with FireTv/stick products ) what’s a roku/ an australian animal ?) thanx

      1. Hello. Can I get around the mlb blackouts with your service. I have a mlbtv subscription and a roku with my Samsung smart tv

  9. I am having the same issue with my appletv too (4th gen) i have my router (netscape) with expressvpn on it. MLB is still blackout through both systems.
    I got this specifically for watching baseball.

      1. I am going through all your youtube videos, and redoing everything step by step hopefully this will work.

        1. This didn’t help. I’ve tried attaching mediastreamer, but everything else is set up through router. I don’t know how to attach this through expressvpnrouter. Any suggestions?

      2. I got it up and working now. I had to add Media streamer to my expressvpn router. Thankyou for all the youtube videos that walked me through this.

  10. I have my AppleTV set up with Mediastreamer and MLB does not work. I then changed my router’s L2PT settings to be out of the blackout zones, and now every game is blacked out. I’ll be honest, this was one of the big reasons for me to subscribe in the first place.

  11. Just got signed up today and used the step by step guide for setting up with a 4th gen Apple TV by first creating a ddns account, then doing the Dynamic DNS Registration, then manually
    configuring the DNS server IP on the Apple TV’s settings. After restarting via settings (per instructions) I still get blacked out of local games. Any suggestions?

    1. Hi Michael,

      A VPN secures your connection and let’s you enjoy baseball streams no matter where you are. Just fire up ExpressVPN, connect to a location near the tournament locale, and you’ll be all set.

      If you run into any issues, be sure to get help from Support: https://www.expressvpn.com/support/

  12. MLB at bat is not working for me. I tried a GPS location spoofer in conjunction with VPNexpress and it still doesnt work. I am using device gps only, not advanced tracking.

    1. Hi Vic,

      Try not to use a GPS location spoofer with ExpressVPN. With a VPN, your IP address is already hidden and replaced by the server address you connect to. If you have further problems, please contact the Support team at https://www.expressvpn.com/support/ for further assistance.

    1. Hi Bill,

      ExpressVPN does not interfere with any streamimg service you choose to use. In fact, it helps you access your favorite sport streams no matter where you are.

      If you have problems using ExpressVPN to watch NESN, please contact the Support team at https://www.expressvpn.com/support/ 🙂

  13. It’s not working for the World Baseball Classic on mlb.tv only watchable in the US. I need help or a refund on my money.

  14. I think MLB has gotten wise to the VPN trick. I’m trying to stream the World Baseball Classic in the UK (where it’s blacklisted). Have used Express VPN to both DC and NY and MLB TV says,

    “We’re sorry. We have determined that you are blacked out of watching the game you selected, due to television broadcaster restrictions. An archive copy of the game will be available 90 minutes after the game ends.”

    Is there a solution to this, or are we stuck?

    🙁

    1. Hi Christian,

      A VPN can help you stream sports no matter where you are. Simply pick a broadcaster that is showing the South African cricket tour, connect to a VPN server in that location, then you’ll be able to watch the games in New Zealand or anywhere else!

  15. Is there any chance that I can get VPN Express to use in Spain and UK while I am away in Europe this month. We are huge baseball fans and don’t want to miss a minute. If it’s possible, can I use wifi to connect in our hotel room? Thanks for your help.

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