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Now that the 2025 MLB regular season is over and done with, it’s now time for the post-season to begin, with the top teams in the league competing to win the World Series.
For the opening playoffs Wild Card Series, there are four teams in the American League and four teams in the National League looking to advanced to the Championship Series in their respective leagues. Here’s everything you need to know about the Wild Card series below.
Who’s Playing During MLB Wild Card Series?
There are four series (best-of-three games) scheduled starting on Tuesday, Sept. 30. All of these post-season games broadcast across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2.
Tuesday, Sept. 30:
- Game 1 — Detroit Tigers at Cleveland Guardians: 1:08 p.m. ET/10:08 a.m. PT, ESPN
- Game 1 — San Diego Padres at Chicago Cubs: 3:08 p.m. ET/12:08 p.m. PT, ABC
- Game 1 — Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees: 6:08 p.m. ET/3:08 p.m. PT, ESPN
- Game 1 — Cincinnati Reds at Los Angeles Dodgers: 9:08 p.m. ET/6:08 p.m. PT, ESPN
Wednesday, Oct. 1:
- Game 2 — Detroit Tigers at Cleveland Guardians: 1:08 p.m. ET/10:08 a.m. PT, ESPN
- Game 2 — San Diego Padres at Chicago Cubs: 3:08 p.m. ET/12:08 p.m. PT, ABC
- Game 2 — Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees: 6:08 p.m. ET/3:08 p.m. PT, ESPN
- Game 2 — Cincinnati Reds at Los Angeles Dodgers: 9:08 p.m. ET/6:08 p.m. PT, ESPN
Thursday, Oct. 2:
- Game 3 (if necessary) — Detroit Tigers at Cleveland Guardians: 1:08 p.m. ET/10:08 a.m. PT, ESPN
- Game 3 (if necessary) — San Diego Padres at Chicago Cubs: 3:08 p.m. ET/12:08 p.m. PT, ABC
- Game 3 (if necessary) — Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees: 6:08 p.m. ET/3:08 p.m. PT, ESPN
- Game 3 (if necessary) — Cincinnati Reds at Los Angeles Dodgers: 9:08 p.m. ET/6:08 p.m. PT, ESPN
Where to Watch MLB Wild Card Series for Free
For cord-cutters, there are a few ways to watch MLB Wild Card Series on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, if you don’t have cable. DirecTV Stream has a five-day free trial, while other streaming services — such as Hulu + Live TV and Fubo — also offer free trials, so you can watch games for free.
Keep reading for more details on how to watch MLB Wild Card Series with DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV and Fubo.
How to Watch MLB Wild Card Series with DirecTV Stream
A subscription to DirecTV Stream — which comes with ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 for MLB Wild Card Series baseball — gets you access to live TV, local and cable channels, starting at $69.99 per month. The service even offers a five-day free trial to watch for free, if you sign up now.
You can watch local networks such as NBC, CBS and PBS, while you can also watch many cable networks, including FS1, Lifetime, FX, AMC, A&E, Bravo, BET, MTV, Paramount Network, Cartoon Network, VH1, Fuse, CNN, Food Network, CNBC and many others.
How to Watch MLB Wild Card Series with Hulu + Live TV
The MLB Wild Card Series on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 is watchable with Hulu + Live TV too. Prices for the cable alternative start at $82.99 per month, but the streamer is currently running a limited time offer for $65.99 for the first three months. A Hulu + Live TV plan also comes with Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ at no additional cost.
Hulu + Live TV might be best for those who want all of these streaming services together in one bundle. It also features many other networks, including CBS, Hallmark Channel, BET, CMT, Disney Channel, NBC, Fox Sports and more.
How to Watch MLB Wild Card Series With Fubo
To watch MLB Wild Card Series on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, Fubo starts at $59.99 per month (the streamer’s current deal) with nearly 200 channels — including local and cable — that are streamable on smart TVs, smartphones, tablets and on web browsers. And with a five-day free trial, you can watch for free, if you act fast and sign up now.
The service even gets you live access to local broadcast networks including NBC, Fox and CBS, while it also has dozens of cable networks, such as Bravo, CMT, ID, TV Land, VH1, TLC, E!, FS1, MTV, FX, Ion, OWN, Paramount Network and much more.
Starting on Tuesday, Sept. 30, MLB Wild Card Series broadcast across ABC, ESPN and ESPN2, while these post-season games are streamable with DirecTV Stream.