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How to watch the MLB Wild Card Series without cable

Vaseline October 1, 2024

After a dramatic doubleheader on Monday, the Mets and Braves are headed to the Wild Card Series

The race for the National League Wild Card ended in dramatic fashion after the New York Mets doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves. The fate of the Arizona Diamondbacks hung in the balance as they watched from the sidelines, needing one of the teams to advance to advance.

The Mets earned an 8-7 victory in the first game, and the Braves defeated the Mets 3-0 in the second game, eliminating the D-Backs. The Mets and Braves will join the Padres to complete the NL Wild Card.

At a Glance: How to Watch the MLB Wild Card

The Wild Card matchups on the American League side consist of the Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers. The New York Yankees top the AL standings, while the Los Angeles Dodgers lead the NL.

The Wild Card games start today with the AL League. The Detroit Tigers will take on the Astros in Houston at 2:30 PM ET, followed by Kansas City in Baltimore, New York in Milwaukee and Atlanta in San Diego. Fans can view the full postseason lineup on the MLB website.

The earlier Wild Card games, which start at 2:30 p.m., are brought to you by ABC, while the later games are brought to you by ESPN or ESPN2. That means the best way to watch all the action live is with a live TV streaming service, like DirecTV Stream or Fubo.

DirectTV stream

DirecTV Stream includes ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 in its most affordable package, the Entertainment Package. You can save $10 per month and drop the price to $59.99 per month. DirecTV also offers a five-day free trial.

FuboTV

Fubo’s livestreaming service is especially popular with sports fans and includes dedicated channels for various MLB teams. Fubo also includes ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. Channels start at $79.99/month, with $49.99/month for the first month after a seven-day free trial.

Hulu + Live TV

Hulu with a Live TV add-on is a great option for sports fans and families, as you get access to Hulu, ESPN+ and Disney+, plus a wide range of cable and antenna channels. Hulu offers a three-day free trial and plans start at $76.99/month.

Garland

Although the selection is smaller, Sling offers one of the best values for sports fans looking for an affordable livestream package. You’ll need to add both the blue and orange packages if you want ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2 together. The Orange and Blue package costs $60, or $35 for the first month. However, Sling does not have a free trial period.

What is the MLB Wild Card Series?

The Wild Card system has been tweaked several times since its inception, so even MLB fans can be confused about how it works. The current version has been in existence since 2022. The Wild Card consists of six teams, three from the American League and three from the National League. In the best-of-three match-up, the highest-ranked team will host each match. This replaced the previous format, which was a single Wild Card game.

Whether you want to catch all the action, or just tune in to watch your favorite team, you can check out the full Wild Card schedule below. The Wild Card games are played as a best-of-three, so Thursday’s matches will only be played if necessary.

Wild Card Games on Tuesday, October 1

Detroit at Houston, 2:32 PM ET, ABC
Kansas City at Baltimore, 4:08 PM ET, ESPN2
New York Mets at Milwaukee, 5:32 PM ET, ESPN
Atlanta at San Diego, 8:38 PM ET, ESPN

Wild Card Games on Wednesday, October 2

Detroit at Houston, 2:32 PM ET, ABC
Kansas City at Baltimore, 4:38 PM ET, ESPN
New York Mets at Milwaukee, 7:38 PM ET, ESPN
Atlanta at San Diego, 8:38 PM ET, ESPN2

Wild Card Games on Thursday, October 3

Detroit at Houston, 2:32 PM ET, ABC (as needed)
Kansas City at Baltimore, 4:08 PM ET, ESPN (if needed)
New York Mets at Milwaukee, 7:08 PM ET, ESPN (if needed)
Atlanta at San Diego, 8:38 PM ET, ESPN2 (if needed)

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How to watch the MLB Wild Card Series without cable