Ranking 2026 MLB local broadcast accessibility from worst to best

A common complaint among Major League Baseball fans this season is that watching their favorite team has become much harder.

With MLB’s new agreements with NBC Sports and Netflix this season, there are now exclusive baseball games on three different streaming services (Peacock, Apple TV+, and Netflix), along with three different cable channels (ESPN, FS1, and TBS) and three different over-the-air networks (ABC, NBC, and Fox).

Even watching games on local networks has become a pain. With the collapse of the regional sports network industry, many teams have turned to MLB to produce and distribute their local games. For many of these teams, local deals with cable providers were not announced until Opening Day.

To be clear, it isn’t all bad. Nationally, there are more over-the-air games than ever before, and this is the first season ever where every MLB team will have a direct-to-consumer streaming option.

But which fans have it the worst? Awful Announcing went through every MLB club to find just how hard it is to watch local games. We ranked teams based on direct-to-consumer cost, cable availability, number of national exclusives, over-the-air access, and streaming exclusives.

Here are the Awful Announcing MLB Accessibility Rankings, from worst to best.

30. New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are by far the hardest team to watch in 2026. They are the only team to exclusively stream local games on a streaming service. 21 games are exclusive to Prime Video locally. (Out of market, these games are still on MLB.tv, unlike national streaming deals.) They currently have three other streaming exclusives, but they are one of only four teams to have a game exclusive to Netflix. As the Yankees, they are also tied for the fourth-most games that exclusively air on national TV partners. The national exclusives, coupled with the Prime exclusives, mean that only 126 games will air on YES Network this year. The Yankees are also among 12 teams without a local deal to air games on free, over-the-air television.

On the better side, their direct-to-consumer streaming service isn’t ridiculously expensive at $119, and YES Network’s carriage is decent, with the only holdouts being YouTube TV, Dish, and Hulu.

29. Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers’ television situation is still not good, though it has been improving radically. When SportsNet LA was originally launched, it was only available through Time Warner Cable and two other small regional carriers. These days, carriage is much more ubiquitous, and the Dodgers recently announced a deal with FuboTV to improve their streaming coverage. The only remaining carriage holdouts are YouTube TV, Dish, and Hulu.

But if you don’t have cable, the Dodgers don’t make things easy. A season-long Dodgers direct-to-consumer subscription will set you back $199. But even if you pay, 16 games (tied for most in the league) will be exclusive to national television and unavailable on the package. The Dodgers are also among 12 teams without a local deal to broadcast games over the air. One piece of good news is that the Dodgers are one of just two teams without any games exclusive to Peacock or Netflix.

28. Baltimore Orioles

The main factor limiting the Orioles is the lack of carriage for the regional sports network MASN. YouTube TV, Hulu, Dish, Spectrum, and RCN currently don’t carry the network. MASN does have a direct-to-consumer option, MASN+, and it costs only $99. 11 Orioles games will be exclusive to national television, but only three of those games will air on broadcast television, while six are exclusive to streaming services. The Orioles also don’t have a local over-the-air deal, which means that their measly three over-the-air games have them at sixth-worst in MLB.

27. Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox are another team with many national exclusives and an expensive direct-to-consumer streaming service. NESN 360 will set you back $180, the second most expensive behind the Dodgers. NESN itself is available on most cable providers, though it is not carried on YouTube TV, Hulu, or Dish. The Red Sox also have 14 national exclusives, though 10 of those games will be available on broadcast television. The Red Sox are also a team without a local over-the-air deal, though they do air a small number of spring training games locally.

26. Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox have similar television situations, but a few differences allow the Cubs to move down. For one, the Cubs’ direct-to-consumer streaming service through the Marquee Sports Network costs only $120. The Cubs are also one of the few teams to have carriage on Hulu. Otherwise, things are still not great. They tie the Dodgers and Braves for the most national exclusives with 16. 11 of those games are on broadcast television, but four are streaming exclusives. The Cubs are also another team without a local over-the-air deal, and Marquee Sports Network lacks carriage on YouTube TV and Dish.

T25. Los Angeles Angels and Pittsburgh Pirates

The Los Angeles Angels and Pittsburgh Pirates are two teams that have resisted MLB Local Media. Despite their larger regional sports groups folding, FanDuel for the Angels and AT&T SportsNet for the Pirates, the teams have decided to stay in the RSN business and take their networks in-house. As a result, whether due to similar economics or luck, their accessibility is quite similar. Both teams will have nine national exclusive games this season, with seven on either Peacock or Apple TV. They also both have a direct-to-consumer streaming service that costs $99 and lack cable carriage on YouTube TV, Hulu, and Dish. Most importantly, both still lack a local over-the-air deal. The Pirates, unlike the Angels, will have one national game on broadcast television. It was Opening Day, though, so sorry if you missed it.

T23. Washington Nationals and Miami Marlins

The Nationals and Marlins are both in their first year with MLB Local Media and share plenty of similarities. The two teams have the same cable carriage (no YouTube TV, Hulu, or Dish) and the same direct-to-consumer cost ($99). The differences are slight. The Nationals have three more nationally exclusive games (seven to four) and one more streaming exclusive game (six to five). The main thing preventing them from moving further up this list is that they are the only two MLB Local Media teams without an over-the-air deal. They are one of just three teams, the other being the Angels, who aren’t currently scheduled to air any games on broadcast television.

21. Houston Astros

Last year, the Astros would have finished near the bottom of this list. They were the only MLB team without a direct-to-consumer streaming option. That is no longer the case, as Space City Home Network now offers a $119 streaming option, which is on the expensive side. That said, they are another team without a local over-the-air deal and have 12 national exclusives. On the brighter side, eight of those national games will be on broadcast television, and only two are streaming exclusives. But still no carriage on YouTube TV, Hulu, and Dish.

20. Detroit Tigers

The Tigers are the first team on this list with a local over-the-air deal. They have an agreement to air 10 games over-the-air, primarily on Fox 2 in Detroit. Otherwise, despite being an MLB Local Media team, their direct-to-consumer streaming is more expensive at $119, and after you pay that, you will still miss out on 13 national games. Five will be available over the air, but six will stream only. They are also lacking cable carriage on YouTube TV, Hulu, and Dish.

T19. Seattle Mariners, Kansas City Royals, Cleveland Guardians, Arizona Diamondbacks, Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, and San Diego Padres

The differences between the teams in this part of the list are so minute that it isn’t worth covering each one individually. All seven of these teams are MLB Local Media teams with the same cable carriage (no YouTube TV, Hulu, or Dish), same direct-to-consumer cost ($99), and same 10-game local over-the-air package. Where they differ, they don’t differ by much. All of these teams have between 12 and 15 nationally exclusive games, with between 5 and 7 exclusive to streaming services per team. When adding on these teams’ 10 local over-the-air games, all teams will air between 14 and 16 games on broadcast television.

T12. Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays

Almost everything that applies to the previous MLB Local Media teams also applies to these teams. The only difference is a slightly smaller number of nationally exclusive games. Instead of between 12 and 15, it is just seven and eight. As a result, that $99 direct-to-consumer streaming service gives you a slightly better bang for your buck. In exchange, however, none of these teams’ nationally televised games will be on broadcast television.

10. Philadelphia Phillies

At first glance, the Phillies look like a team that should be lower on this list. Despite their national stature, they are scheduled for only 11 national-exclusive games. They are also tied for seventh-highest in the league with 15 over-the-air games thanks to a 10-game local package and five of 11 national games being on broadcast television. Additionally, they also have only three games available exclusively on streaming services and are one of the few teams that can be watched on Hulu and YouTube TV. But that’s when the good news ends. One of the streaming games will be the Field of Dreams game on Netflix. The Phillies also charge $169 for direct-to-consumer streaming. That’s despite the fact that the Giants, which also air their games on an NBC Sports-branded network, only charge $119.

9. San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants are one of the few teams that haven’t seen major changes to their regional sports network situation in recent years. The team has aired games on NBC Sports Bay Area and its predecessor networks since 1990. Unlike many teams that just recently returned to over-the-air games, the Giants have been airing games on KNTV since 2008. The Giants’ national profile, coupled with the KNTV agreements, means that 19 games will air on broadcast television, tied for fourth-most of any team. The Giants are also one of the few teams you can watch through YouTube TV and Hulu.

Not everything is perfect for the Giants, however. The direct-to-consumer streaming costs $119, and the Giants are one of the few teams you won’t find on FuboTV. Streaming is a problem for the Giants as they are also one of just four teams with an exclusive game on Netflix.

8. Texas Rangers

The Rangers also have all the makings of a team that should be much lower on this list. They have the third-largest local over-the-air package of any team with 15 games, and seven more national games are on broadcast television. They also have only four streaming-exclusive games. But goodwill is lost with a pricey $150 direct-to-consumer package, and you will still miss out on 14 national exclusive games. If you go with cable instead, the Rangers are another team that can’t be found on YouTube TV, Hulu, or Dish.

7. St. Louis Cardinals

Unlike most teams on this side of the list, the Cardinals’ brand leads to more accessibility. Despite expectations of a mediocre season, the Cardinals are scheduled for 15 nationally televised games, nine of which will be on broadcast television. Coupled with an additional 10-game local over-the-air package, the Cardinals are scheduled for 19 over-the-air games, tied for fourth most of any team. The Cardinals also have a relatively reasonable $99 direct-to-consumer price and only four games exclusive to streaming services.

What keeps them from moving further down is that they are one of the few teams that have become harder to watch on cable this year. Mediacom won’t carry the new MLB Local Media channel even though they carried FanDuel Sports Network Midwest last year. The Cardinals also aren’t available on YouTube TV, Hulu, or Dish.

6. New York Mets

The Mets have a lot going for them when it comes to accessibility. They have the most over-the-air games in the league, with 35, and are one of just two teams without any exclusive games on Peacock or Netflix. Of the Mets’ 14 national games, 10 will air on broadcast, and only two will air on Apple TV. (Though Apple has only announced the first half of their schedule, and if the Mets play to their expectations, they are likely to have at least one other appearance in the second half of the year.)

What stops them from climbing higher on our list is a relatively high-priced direct-to-consumer streaming service at $125. They also lack carriage on YouTube TV and Dish.

5. Atlanta Braves

The Braves may be tied for the most in the league with 16 national exclusive games, but they more than make up for it with their extensive over-the-air package. Fans in the Braves’ market will be able to watch 34 games on broadcast. That’s thanks to the fact that nine national exclusives will be over-the-air games, and the Braves have an agreement to air 25 additional games over-the-air locally. Additionally, the Braves are only scheduled for four streaming exclusives. The Mets may have one more over-the-air game, but the Braves’ lower $99 direct-to-consumer streaming cost wins out. However, like the Mets, you won’t be watching the Braves on YouTube TV or Dish.

4. Toronto Blue Jays

Being Major League Baseball’s only Canadian team, things are slightly different for the Blue Jays when it comes to television. For one, Apple TV is the only national television deal in effect in Canada. Otherwise, every Blue Jays game airs on Sportsnet, which is widely available in Canada as a national sports network more akin to ESPN than a regional network in the United States. That high distribution is important because just one Blue Jays game is scheduled for Apple TV. (Though Apple has only announced the first half of their schedule, and if the Blue Jays play to their expectations, they are likely to have at least one other appearance in the second half of the year.)

What stops the Blue Jays from moving higher up this list is a lack of any over-the-air games in Canada and a relatively high direct-to-streaming service price of $180 CAD (about $130 USD).

3. Chicago White Sox

When the Chicago White Sox launched the Chicago Sports Network, they had a novel idea: what if we gave our regional sports network over-the-air carriage? Unfortunately, the cable companies weren’t a big fan. Especially Comcast, which denied the White Sox carriage until last June when CHSN got rid of their over-the-air stations (almost) entirely.

The White Sox did announce that 10 games in Chicago would be simulcast over the air, and Chicago Sports Network continues to have over-the-air carriage for all games in non-Comcast markets in Iowa, Kentucky, Wisconsin, and Indiana, but it’s definitely not what CHSN originally planned. Nevertheless, the White Sox only have two nationally televised games scheduled this year, both on Peacock. CHSN costs $119 as a direct-to-consumer service and still lacks carriage on YouTube TV, Hulu, and Dish.

2. Athletics

Big-market teams tend to have more national television games. These days, the Athletics basically lack a market. As a result, they have just two nationally exclusive games scheduled, both on Peacock. They also have one clear benefit over the White Sox: The Athletics, an NBC Sports team, have carriage on both YouTube TV and Hulu, though they can’t be found on either FuboTV or Dish. If you are in Sacramento or Oakland, you won’t find the A’s on over-the-air television. But the Athletics do air 20 games over the air in Las Vegas. Getting access to 160 of 162 games will cost you $119.

1. Colorado Rockies

Being one of the worst teams in baseball does have one perk: your team has no national appeal. As a result, the Rockies only have one game selected for national television. It’s barely national television, to be honest. Every MLB team will air on Peacock (or NBC) on Sunday, July 5, and that is the only time the Rockies are on a nationally exclusive telecast. As a result, paying just $99 for Rockies.tv will get you access to 161 of 162 Rockies games. The Rockies also air 10 games on over-the-air broadcast television. The Rockies are an MLB Local Media team; however, despite topping this list, they still lack carriage on YouTube TV, Hulu, and Dish.

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What do these rankings show? In general, the fewer nationally televised games a team has, the easier it is to watch. That inherently benefits poor-performing small-market teams, along with the Blue Jays. If baseball continues to move toward more national games, it would likely make baseball harder to watch locally.

Methodology: Each team was compared based on the cost of its direct-to-consumer streaming service, the number of major cable providers on which it is available, the number of exclusive national games, the number of over-the-air games, and the number of streaming-exclusive games.