Phillies vs. Cardinals Livestream: How to Watch the Wild Card Series Without Cable
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YouTube TV
Carries every channel for every playoff game
See at YouTube TV
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Hulu with Live TV
Carries every channel for every playoff game
See at Hulu with Live TV
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DirecTV Stream
Carries every channel for every playoff game
See at DirecTV Stream
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FuboTV
Lacks TBS for the ALDS and ALCS
See at FuboTV
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Sling TV
Lacks ABC and carries Fox in limited areas
See at Sling TV
Baseball’s postseason has arrived and in a new format this year. Instead of 10 teams in the playoffs, we now have a 12-team tournament — the three division winners plus three Wild Card teams in each league. Postseason play gets underway on Friday with the Wild Card round. Each Wild Card series is now the best of three instead of the previous winner-take-all one-game affair.?
In one National League Wild Card series, the Cardinals host the Phillies. The games will be played in St. Louis on Friday, Saturday and (if necessary) Sunday. Game 1 starts today at 1:07 p.m. CT (2:07 p.m. ET) on ABC.
Albert Pujols and the St. Louis Cardinals host the Philadelphia Phillies in a three-game NL Wild Card series that starts Friday.
Scott Kane/Getty Images
Here’s how you can watch baseball’s postseason, from the Wild Card round through the World Series, without cable.
What’s the schedule for the Phillies-Cardinals series?
The Cardinals won the NL Central but finished behind the other two division winners — the Dodgers in the NL West and the Braves in the NL East — so must play in the first round instead of resting on a bye. They enter as the No. 3 seed against the Phillies, who are the No. 6 seed as the last team to qualify for the playoffs in the National League.?
Here’s the schedule for the Cards-Phillies series. All games will be played at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
- Game 1: Friday at 1:07 p.m. CT (2:07 p.m. ET) on ABC
- Game 2: Saturday at 7:37 p.m. CT (8:37 p.m. ET) on ESPN2
- Game 3: Sunday at 7:37 p.m. CT (8:37 p.m. ET) on ESPN (if necessary)
Click here for the full postseason schedule.
What channels do I need to watch the MLB playoffs?
All of the Wild Card games will be on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC. Looking ahead, the next two rounds in the National League (the NLDS and NLCS) will be on Fox and FS1, while the ALDS and ALCS will be on TBS. The World Series, which begins on Oct. 28, will be on Fox.
How can I watch the MLB playoffs without cable?
Three of the five major live TV streaming services carry all of the channels you need to watch every game of the postseason, but not every service carries every local network, so check each one using the links below to make sure it carries ABC and Fox in your area.?
If you live in an area with good reception, then you can watch one or two Wild Card games on ABC and the World Series on Fox for free on over-the-air broadcast channels just by attaching an affordable (under $30) indoor antenna to nearly any TV.
YouTube TV
Carries every channel for every playoff game
YouTube TV costs $65 a month and includes ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC for the Wild Card round games along with Fox, FS1 and TBS for future rounds. Plug in your ZIP code on its welcome page to see which local networks are available in your area. Read our YouTube TV review.
See at YouTube TV
Hulu with Live TV
Carries every channel for every playoff game
Hulu with Live TV costs $70 a month and includes ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC along with Fox, FS1 and TBS for future rounds. Click the “View channels in your area” link on its welcome page to see which local channels are offered in your ZIP code. Read our Hulu with Live TV review.
See at Hulu with Live TV
DirecTV Stream
Carries every channel for every playoff game
DirecTV Stream’s basic, $70-a-month package includes ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC along with Fox, FS1 and TBS. You can use its channel lookup tool to see which local channels are available where you live. Read our DirecTV Stream review.
See at DirecTV Stream
FuboTV
Lacks TBS for the ALDS and ALCS
FuboTV’s Family plan costs $70 a month and includes ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC for the Wild Card round games. It also includes Fox and FS1 for the NLDS, NLCS and World Series, but it does not offer TBS for the ALDS and ALCS. Click here to see which local channels you get. Read our FuboTV review.
See at FuboTV
Sling TV
Lacks ABC and carries Fox in limited areas
Sling’s $50-a-month Orange and Blue package offers ESPN and ESPN2 but lacks ABC for the Wild Card round. It includes Fox, FS1 and TBS for the rest of the playoffs but carries Fox in only a handful of areas. Read our Sling TV review.
See at Sling TV
All of the live TV streaming services above offer free trials, allow you to cancel anytime and require a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our live-TV streaming services guide.