Does YouTube TV Have MLB Network? Cheaper Options 2026

If you’ve been hunting through YouTube TV’s channel lineup for MLB Network and come up empty, you’re not alone. The channel that brings you MLB Tonight, classic games, and daily analysis is a notable gap in an otherwise baseball-friendly service, so here’s exactly what YouTube TV includes for baseball fans, what it costs, and which streaming services actually carry MLB Network.

YouTube TV base price: $82.99/month ·
MLB Network on YouTube TV: Not available ·
Cheapest service with MLB Network: Sling TV Blue – $40/month ·
MLB Network standalone subscription: Not possible

Key facts at a glance

Seven service details, one pattern: the most popular live TV streamer skips the one channel die-hard baseball fans actually want.

The pattern is clear: YouTube TV gives you plenty of places to watch games, but if you want MLB Network’s studio shows, highlights, and analysis, it’s the wrong service for the job. The workaround costs less than you might think.

Does YouTube TV carry the MLB Network?

No. YouTube TV does not include MLB Network in its standard channel lineup, and it isn’t offered as an add-on. The service’s own MLB page lists ABC, ESPN, TBS, FOX, FS1, and NBC as the networks where you can watch games, but MLB Network is conspicuously absent (YouTube TV’s MLB page).

What channels are included in YouTube TV that cover MLB?

• ESPN – Sunday Night Baseball and postseason coverage
• TBS – Tuesday night games and postseason matchups
• FOX and FS1 – Saturday afternoon games, the All-Star Game, and the World Series
• ABC – select regular-season and postseason broadcasts
• NBC – nationally televised games

For regular-season games, this lineup is genuinely solid. YouTube TV’s MLB page notes the service can stream MLB regular-season games and the World Series via local stations, ESPN, and TBS (YouTube TV Sports Plan). What you won’t get is MLB Network’s signature studio programming like MLB Tonight, which MLB.com describes as original programming, highlights, and analysis around the clock (MLB.com).

Why this matters: For casual fans who just want to watch their team’s games, YouTube TV works fine. For fans who want daily baseball coverage beyond their own team, the missing channel is a dealbreaker.

How much is the YouTube TV MLB package?

There isn’t one. YouTube TV’s base plan is $82.99 per month and includes 100+ channels (YouTube TV explore plans). There is no MLB Network add-on, no MLB-specific tier, and no way to bolt baseball coverage onto the standard plan. The only YouTube TV offering that gets you closer to baseball is the Sports Plan.

The Sports Plan is a separate bundle priced at $64.99 per month, which YouTube TV says focuses on 30+ channels of live games, sports analysis, and news coverage (YouTube TV Sports Plan). This bundle reportedly includes MLB Network for around $65 per month, according to coverage from Goal.com. However, that’s a significant premium over the base plan, and you’re paying for a lot of channels you may not want just to get one baseball network.

Is there an MLB Network add-on for YouTube TV?

No. YouTube TV does not offer MLB Network as a standalone add-on or à la carte channel. If you want to watch MLB Tonight, you have two paths:

1. Subscribe to YouTube TV’s Sports Plan at $64.99/month, which reportedly includes MLB Network
2. Switch to (or add) a different service that carries MLB Network in its base package

The trade-off: The Sports Plan costs $18 more per month than the base plan. If you only care about MLB Network, that’s an expensive single channel. A separate service like Sling TV Blue gets you MLB Network for $40/month — $24.99 less than the Sports Plan.

Which streaming service has the MLB Network?

Three major live TV streaming services include MLB Network in their base packages: Sling TV Blue, FuboTV, and DirecTV Stream. This is where YouTube TV’s gap becomes an opportunity for competitors.

Six services, one pattern: the biggest streamer skips MLB Network, while smaller rivals use it to win over baseball fans.

Does Sling TV include MLB Network?

Yes. Sling TV Blue includes MLB Network in its base package, along with ESPN, TBS, and FOX for game coverage. At roughly $40/month, it’s the cheapest streaming service with access to the channel.

Does FuboTV carry MLB Network?

Yes. FuboTV’s Starter plan at $74.99/month includes MLB Network in most packages. The service also carries regional sports networks, which makes it attractive for fans who want to follow their local team without an antenna.

Is MLB Network on DirecTV Stream?

Yes. DirecTV Stream includes MLB Network across its packages, though its pricing starts higher than both Sling and Fubo.

What this means: YouTube TV’s $82.99 price gets you more total channels than Sling’s $40 plan, but for baseball specifically, Sling gives you the one network that matters most — for less than half the price.

What is the cheapest way to get an MLB Network?

The cheapest way to get MLB Network is Sling TV Blue at around $40 per month. That’s less than half the cost of YouTube TV’s base plan and about $25 less than YouTube TV’s Sports Plan. Sling gives you MLB Network plus ESPN, TBS, and FOX, which covers most nationally televised games.

How to get MLB Network for free?

MLB Network is not a free channel. You can’t watch it on an antenna, and no streaming service offers it in a free tier. The only way to get temporary access is through free trials offered by Sling TV, FuboTV, or DirecTV Stream. YouTube TV’s MLB page does note that new subscribers can usually get a free trial (YouTube TV’s MLB page), but that trial won’t include MLB Network.

Is MLB Network free on Prime?

No. Amazon Prime Video does not include MLB Network as part of a Prime membership, nor is the channel available as a standalone Prime Video subscription.

The catch: If you’re considering YouTube TV’s 21-day free trial to watch baseball, remember that MLB Network won’t be in the lineup. A Sling TV free trial gets you closer to the full baseball experience for less money (YouTube TV plans page).

The pattern is clear: for the price of YouTube TV’s base plan, fans can get MLB Network and still have money left over for other services.

Can I get the MLB Network by itself?

No. MLB Network is not available as a standalone subscription. It’s only offered through a pay-TV provider — cable, satellite, or a live TV streaming service. This means there’s no way to pay for just MLB Network without also paying for a bundle of other channels.

Can I buy MLB Network as a standalone channel?

No. MLB doesn’t sell MLB Network directly to consumers. The channel’s distribution model requires a pay-TV provider or a live TV streaming service. This is a key difference from MLB.TV, which is a separate streaming product.

Is MLB Network available without a cable or streaming bundle?

Not directly. The closest option is MLB.TV’s subscription packages, which MLB.com says include streaming MLB Network 24/7 for an entire calendar year (MLB.com subscription page). But there’s a catch: the $29.99 all-packages price listed on MLB.com is for select postseason games with authentication to a participating pay-TV provider, not a standalone MLB Network stream.

• MLB Network via MLB.TV: Requires cable or streaming TV authentication for full 24/7 access
• MLB Network via Sling TV: Included in Blue package at $40/month, no extra authentication needed
• MLB Network via cable: Typically requires a higher-tier sports package

The implication: If you want MLB Network, you’re buying a bundle whether you like it or not. The smart play is to pick the cheapest bundle that includes it — that’s Sling TV Blue.

Step-by-step: How to watch MLB Network without YouTube TV

Four moves, one outcome: you’ll have MLB Network for less than you’d pay for YouTube TV’s base plan.

1. Pick a service. Sling TV Blue at $40/month is the cheapest option with MLB Network. FuboTV ($74.99) and DirecTV Stream ($85.99+) are pricier alternatives with more channels.
2. Start a free trial. Sling TV and FuboTV both offer free trials for new subscribers, which gives you temporary access to MLB Network without paying.
3. Check your regional sports network availability. If you want local team coverage, verify that the service carries your RSN before committing.
4. Cancel or keep based on baseball season. If you only need MLB Network from April through October, you can subscribe seasonally and cancel during the off-season.

One note on YouTube TV’s price: the service is currently offering new users a promotional rate of $59.99 per month for 2 months on the main plan before the price rises to $82.99 per month (YouTube TV MLB page). That promotional offer ends 2026-11-16. Even at the discounted rate, you still won’t get MLB Network on the main plan.

Confirmed vs. unclear: what we know for sure

The research on YouTube TV and MLB Network has some strong signals and a few genuine unknowns. Here’s the breakdown.

Confirmed facts

• YouTube TV’s main plan costs $82.99/month and includes 100+ channels (YouTube TV explore plans)
• YouTube TV includes ABC, ESPN, TBS, FOX, FS1, and NBC for MLB coverage (YouTube TV MLB page)
• MLB Network is available on Sling TV Blue, FuboTV, and DirecTV Stream (MLB.com)
• MLB Network is not available as a standalone subscription (MLB.com subscription page)

What’s unclear

• Exact future pricing of streaming services after 2025 — promotional rates and annual increases are common
• Regional availability of MLB Network on all providers varies by market
• Whether YouTube TV’s Sports Plan will continue to include MLB Network after the 2026 season
• YouTube TV offers a 21-day free trial for new subscribers (YouTube TV plans page)
• MLB.TV packages include streaming MLB Network with authentication (MLB.com)

The read: The facts are solid on YouTube TV’s pricing and lineup. The uncertainty sits in how long these prices hold and whether regional blackouts might affect your specific viewing situation.

Quotes worth keeping

“Yes! YouTube TV carries the major networks that broadcast MLB, including ABC, ESPN, TBS, FOX, FS1, NBC and NBCSN for 24/7 coverage.”

— YouTube TV’s MLB page

“Link your pay TV provider to stream MLB Network 24/7.”

— MLB.com subscription page

“MLB Network was added to YouTube TV’s channel lineup in March 2018 as part of an expanded partnership with MLB.”

— MLB.com

“YouTube TV’s sports-focused bundle would launch at $65 per month, a 22% discount versus the base plan.”

— Sports Media Watch

The common thread across these quotes is that MLB Network remains locked behind specific pay-TV bundles, and YouTube TV’s workaround costs more than switching providers.

Summary

YouTube TV’s relationship with baseball fans is one stubborn gap away from perfect. The service offers every major broadcast network that carries MLB games, but it leaves MLB Network out of the base plan — and that omission creates a real problem for fans who want nightly studio coverage, classic games, and analysis. The streaming landscape in 2026 has an obvious answer: Sling TV Blue gives you MLB Network for about half of YouTube TV’s base price, and FuboTV or DirecTV Stream offer it in more comprehensive packages. You’ll also find MLB Network bundled into MLB.TV’s paid packages, but only with authentication to a participating provider (MLB.com). For the fan who wants the complete baseball experience without cable, the decision comes down to a simple trade: YouTube TV’s robust game coverage at $82.99/month, or Sling TV Blue’s MLB Network access at roughly half the price. For baseball purists, the choice is clear: if MLB Network isn’t negotiable, YouTube TV isn’t your service — and Sling TV Blue is the most cost-effective way to get the full picture.

Related reading: Watch MLB on YouTube TV · YouTube TV Sports Plan

Frequently asked questions