As summer comes to a close and the air turns crisp, you know what’s coming: postseason baseball. The NFL season is already underway, and if you’re also a baseball lover, this next month is essential viewing. The MLB has been through a number of changes in recent years. From the universal DH and the pitch clock to video replay and an automated strike zone, baseball may look very different if you haven’t been paying attention.
Regardless of rule changes, the playoffs are here, and today’s Wild Card Series kicked off with the Braves beating the Phillies 5-3, and the Chicago White Sox winning against the Houston Astros, 6-3. The Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees game is still going on, but next up we have the Chicago Cubs vs. the San Diego Padres. Don’t want to miss a minute of the action? Here’s how you can catch the action, live.
What Time Is the Chicago Cubs vs. the San Diego Padres?
The Chicago Cubs vs. the San Diego Padres Wild Card Series Game 1 will take place today, Tuesday, September 29 at 10 p.m. ETat Petco Park.
How to Watch the Chicago Cubs vs. the San Diego Padres
Tonight’s Cubs vs. Padres Wild Card Series game will air on NBC and Peacock. You can also watch it with a live TV or sports streaming subscription from DirecTV, Fox One, Fubo, HBO Max, Hulu, Sling, Sportsnet+, or YouTube TV.
Can You Watch the Cubs vs. Padres Game For Free?
If you don’t want to subscribe to any of the above platforms, you may be able to sign up for a few free trials to gain access to today’s game. Fox One and Hulu offer three-day trials, DirecTV and Fubo offer five days, and YouTube TV gives you 10 days for free.
Peacock doesn’t have a free trial, but there is a workaround. Walmart+ allows you to bundle Peacock or Paramount+ with your subscription at no extra charge. By signing up for a $1 trial to Walmart’s service, you can also get 30 days of access to Peacock.
Unlock Your Streaming Service’s Full Catalog
2026 MLB Playoffs Game Schedule
MLB’s expanded postseason means more teams on the playoff schedule. The Wild Card Series, the first round of MLB’s playoffs, is best-of-three games. This round begins on September 29 and includes the three Wild Card winners for each league, plus the lowest-ranked division winner. Upon advancing to the Division Series, which starts October 3, teams will need to win three out of five games against the top two division winners.
The Championship Series extends to seven games to determine the best team in each league, then advances to a best-of-seven World Series to crown the champion. Who will make it all the way?
Wild Card Series Schedule:
-
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Atlanta Braves:
-
Game 1 on September 29 @ 2:00 p.m. ET – NBC/Peacock
-
Game 2 on September 30 @ 2:00 p.m. ET – NBC/Peacock
-
Game 3 on October 1 @ 2:00 p.m. ET – NBC/Peacock
-
-
Chicago White Sox vs. Houston Astros:
-
Game 1 on September 29 @ 5:00 p.m. ET – NBC/Peacock
-
Game 2 on September 30 @ 5:00 p.m. ET – NBC/Peacock
-
Game 3 on October 1 @ 5:00 p.m. ET – NBC/Peacock
-
-
Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees:
-
Game 1 on September 29 @ 8:00 p.m. ET – NBC/Peacock
-
Game 2 on September 30 @ 8:00 p.m. ET – NBC/Peacock
-
Game 3 on October 1 @ 8:00 p.m. ET – NBC/Peacock
-
-
Chicago Cubs vs. San Diego Padres:
-
Game 1 on September 29 @ 10:00 p.m. ET – NBCSN/Peacock
-
Game 2 on September 30 @ 10:00 p.m. ET – NBCSN/Peacock
-
Game 3 on October 1 @ 10:00 p.m. ET – NBCSN/Peacock
-
How to Stream the 2026 MLB Playoffs
This year’s MLB postseason is stretched across multiple networks and streaming services. All Wild Card Series games for the American League and National League will be broadcast on NBC, NBCSN, and Peacock. Additional rounds will be on other networks. ALDS and ALCS games are on TBS/TruTV and HBO Max, while NLDS and NLCS games are on Fox/FS1. For the World Series, all games will be broadcast on Fox and the Fox One streaming service.
Recommended by Our Editors
Why Your TV Makes Everything Look Like a Soap Opera—and How to Fix It in Seconds
Is Your TV Spying on You? The Hidden Setting Watching Everything You Do (And How to Stop It)
I’m a Certified Calibrator and These 5 Pro Tips Instantly Make Any TV Look Better
-
DirecTV:DirecTV’s MySports base pack costs $45 per month for the first six months to see every game on Fox, FS1, NBC, and TBS/TruTV.
-
Fox One: Fox’s own streaming app lets you watch the NLDS, NLCS, and World Series on Fox and FS1 for $20 per month.
-
Fubo: Fubo’s Sports plan costs $45.99 for the first month to watch the Wild Card Series, NLDS, NLCS, and World Series on Fox, FS1, and NBC.
-
HBO Max:If you pay for the $18.49-per-month HBO Max Standard, you’ll be able to watch the ALDS and ALCS games on TBS/TruTV.
-
Hulu:For $90 per month, you can watch every game on Fox, FS1, NBC, TBS, and TruTV.
-
Peacock: Instead of a live TV service, you’d need to pay $10.99 per month for Peacock Premium to see the Wild Card Series games.
-
Sling:The $60.99-per-month Sling Orange & Blue bundle will let you watch the ALDS and ALCS on TBS/TruTV and the NLDS and NLCS on FS1. Day Passes are also available for Sling Orange, allowing you to watch games on TBS for up to seven days.
-
Sportsnet+ (Canada only): The $30-per-month Standard tier lets you watch every postseason game.
-
YouTube TV:Though the standard plan for YouTube TV costs $83 per month, you can actually now pay for the cheaper $65 Sports package to see all games on Fox, FS1, NBC/NBCSN, and TBS/TruTV.
Can I Watch Postseason Games on MLB.TV?
Are you already an MLB.TV subscriber? You can watch the Division Series, Championship Series, and World Series games through MLB’s own streaming service—but there’s a catch. To watch on MLB.TV, you’ll first need to authenticate through a participating pay TV provider. It’s such a sticking point that it makes the entire question moot. If you already have a TV provider, then you wouldn’t need to use a streaming service. If you don’t already have an MLB.TV subscription, don’t pay for one now.
How can I listen to the 2026 postseason?
You can also listen to the games
Which Teams Are In the Playoffs?
Since MLB expanded its postseason picture in 2022, a total of 12 teams make the playoffs each year. That includes six teams per league, including the three division winners and three Wild Card teams.
-
American League Division Winners: Tampa Bay Rays (1), Cleveland Guardians (2), Houston Astros (3)
-
American League Wild Card: New York Yankees (4), Boston Red Sox (5), Chicago White Sox (6)
-
National League Division Winners: Milwaukee Brewers (1), Los Angeles Dodgers (2), Atlanta Braves (3)
-
National League Wild Card: Chicago Cubs (4), Philadelphia Phillies (5), San Diego Padres (6)
Upgrade Your Streaming Experience
If you decide to watch the MLB postseason, there’s still time to get a big-screen television for viewing this beautiful game. Pro tip: Turn on your TV’s motion-smoothing option for the best picture while watching sports. Just remember to turn it off before watching other TV shows and movies to avoid the awful “soap opera” effect.
About Our Expert
Jason Cohen
Senior Editor, Help & How To
Experience
As PCMag’s editor of how to content, I have to cover a wide variety of topics and also make our stories accessible to everyday users. Considering my history as a technical writer, copywriter, and all-around freelancer covering baseball, comics, and more at various outlets, I am used to making myself into an expert.
I believe tech corporations are bad, but you might as well know how to use technology in everyday life. Want more how to content delivered right to your inbox? Sign up for the tips and tricks newsletter that I curate three times a week.
My job as how-to guru means I use just about every gadget under the sun, so I can figure out how everything works. I work from a Lenovo ThinkPad running Windows 11, but also have a very large Dell Inspiron 17 3000 and Apple silicon MacBook. I have a Google Pixel 6a for personal use and use a Galaxy Z Flip 4 for additional Samsung-related testing. For iOS coverage, an iPhone 13 mini works like a charm, though it’s already becoming a little long in the tooth.
My desktop situation includes a dual monitor setup with a modest Acer monitor. I also use a Logitech vertical mouse (who can use these ThinkPad trackpads) and a Havit keyboard (my first mechanical keyboard; I love it but my wife hates it!). I’m a recent convert from wired headphones; I have Anker Soundcore Liberty Air wireless earbuds for personal use and have taken to the Sennheiser HD 450BT headphones for work.
Whenever I have a second to myself, I’m probably gaming on my Nintendo Switch 2, Steam Deck, or Xbox Series S. I also still have a bunch of classic consoles lying around as well.
Areas of Expertise
Latest By Jason Cohen
- Is It Worth It to Upgrade to Switch 2 Games? We’ll Run You Through the Actual Costs
- How to Watch Every 2026 NFL Game Live (Even Without Cable)
- Want to Play GTA 6 Before Everyone Else? Here’s How the Time Zone Trick Works
- How to Watch the 2026 WNBA Playoffs Live Without Cable, Even for Free
- How to Watch the Baltimore Ravens vs. Dallas Cowboys Rio Game Live for Free
- More from Jason Cohen
