As summer comes to a close and the air turns crisp, you know what’s coming: the MLB Playoffs. 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.
Today, the Guardians will face the Rays, and the Dodgers will go head-to-head against the Brewers in the best-of-seven Championship series. Which teams will come out on top? Here’s how you can watch live.
What Time Is the Tampa Bay Rays vs. Cleveland Guardians Game?
Today’s game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Guardians will take place on Thursday, October 15 at 1 p.m. ET.The game was moved from 6 p.m. to 1 p.m. due to expected rain this evening.
How to Watch the Tampa Bay Rays vs. Cleveland Guardians?
Tonight’s Rays vs. Guardians game will air on TBS and HBO Max. This year, the American League Division Series games will be broadcast on TBS, while the National League games will be on Fox and FS1. You can also watch them with a live TV or sports streaming subscription from DirecTV, Fox One, Fubo, HBO Max, Hulu, Sling, Sportsnet+ (if you’re in Canada), or YouTube TV.
How to Watch the Rays vs. the Guardians 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 this weekend’s games. Fox One and Hulu offer three-day trials, DirecTV and Fubo offer five days, and YouTube TV gives you 10 days for free.
2026 MLB Playoffs Game Schedule
MLB’s expanded postseason means more teams on the playoff schedule. Things started off with the best-of-three Wild Card Series, where the Braves, Padres, White Sox, and Yankees advanced. The best-of-five Division Series put them up against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Cleveland Guardians, and Tampa Bay Rays, respectively. All of whom managed to advance
Now, the Rays and Guardians and Dodgers and Brewers meet in the best-of-seven Championship Series to determine the best team in each league. The winner from each league will then advance to a best-of-seven World Series to begin on October 23. Who will make it all the way?
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Milwaukee Brewers – MIL lead 3-0
- Game 4 on October 15 @ 9 p.m. ET – Fox/FS1
- Game 5 on October 16 @ 9 p.m. ET – Fox/FS1*
- Game 6 on October 18 @ 8 p.m. ET – Fox/FS1*
- Game 7 on October 19 @ 8 p.m. ET – Fox/FS1*
Cleveland Guardians vs. Tampa Bay Rays – CLE leads 1-1
- Game 3 on October 15 @ 1 p.m. ET – TBS/HBO Max
- Game 4 on October 16 @ 6 p.m. ET – TBS/HBO Max
- Game 5 on October 17 @ 8 p.m. ET – TBS/HBO Max*
- Game 6 on October 19 @ 5 p.m. ET – TBS/HBO Max*
- Game 7 on October 20 @ 8 p.m. ET – TBS/HBO Max*
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 were 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.
- 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/NBCSN.
- 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.
