We’re just weeks away from the beginning of the 2026 MLB playoffs, and every team in the hunt is trying to put their best foot forward. This week on Sunday Night Baseball, NBC Sports is featuring two of those teams, one trying to clinch their division and the other battling it out for a Wild Card spot. 

How to Watch

Watch MLB on NBC and streaming on Peacock.

This evening on NBC and Peacock, the Houston Astros head to San Diego to take on the Padres in an interleague showdown that could be crucial for both teams’ playoff hopes. Let’s take a closer look at how to watch. 

RELATED: Sunday Night Baseball Full Schedule

How to watch Sunday Night Baseball on August 9: Houston Astros vs. San Diego Padres

The Astros and the Padres begins at 8 p.m. ET this Sunday, live on NBC and streaming simultaneously on Peacock. The first 20 minutes of the broadcast will be devoted to the pregame show hosted by Ahmed Fareed alongside MLB great CC Sabathia, who will also handle “Inside the Pitch” commentary during the game. Jason Benetti will call the action for NBC Sports, alongside MLB veterans Geoff Blum and Jake Peavy. 

Want more MLB action? Tune in earlier in the day for MLB Sunday Leadoff live on Peacock, as the Washington Nationals host the Cincinnati Reds at Noon ET on Sunday. 

RELATED: Full Schedule of 2026 MLB Games on NBC and Peacock

What to expect from Astros vs. Padres on Sunday Night Baseball

The Astros enter this game with one of the league’s best batting rotations, led by Yordan Alvarez, who’s leading the MLB across the batting spectrum so far this season. Alvarez is a clear contender for the 2026 MVP award, and he’s got pitchers across the league shaking in their cleats. But the Padres are not without weapons of their own. Manny Machado is hitting well, and Fernando Tatis Jr. is not just one of the best batters in the league, but arguably the best base stealer in baseball right now. Neither team has the definite edge here, particularly since they won’t play each other for the first time this season until August 7, but the Padres have the home field advantage, and therefore the slight edge. 

And it’s a good thing, because the Padres need every win they can get right now. In a division that includes the dominant Dodgers, they have to fight it out for a Wild Card spot, and they’re just a couple of games out of position right now. The Astros, meanwhile, are locked in a tough division battle with the Rangers and the Mariners, so they need wins arguably just as badly. That all adds up to a showdown you won’t want to miss.