The circumstances surrounding the broadcasting of Guardians games is again changing.
Major League Baseball came to an agreement on a three-year media rights deal with ESPN, NBCUniversal and Netflix, the league announced Nov. 19. The agreement covers the 2026-2028 seasons.
As it pertains to the Guardians, ESPN will now produce and sell in-market games, taking over from control from MLB. It is doing the same for the San Diego Padres, Minnesota Twins, Arizona Diamondbacks, Seattle Mariners and Colorado Rockies.
Where can I watch/stream Guardians games in 2026?
As part of this deal, ESPN is taking over the rights to MLB.TV, the platform for streaming MLB games, according to a report from The Athletic. ESPN has not yet determined how it will sell MLB.TV, but the season-long price to stream games is expected to remain near the $150 it was in 2025. For at least the first year, subscribers are expected to be able to continue streaming on the MLB app.
Exact details for how all fans can watch Guardians games should be released closer to Opening Day, as was the case when MLB took over broadcast control from the Diamond Sports Group. But what is known, for now, is that broadcast control is now included under the ESPN umbrella. And for the time being, the service is still being called MLB.TV, but it will be purchased through ESPN.