The Houston Astros hit 2026 with eight playoff appearances across the last nine years. And that lone exception came in 2025, when they were eliminated on the final weekend of the regular season and still finished with a winning record. It\u2019s been a fruitful past decade for Astros fans, and the current group has a chance to reimagine its World Series form.<\/p>\n
Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa, the team\u2019s inveterate infield duo, are back together. Jeremy Pe\u00f1a readies his return at shortstop. Ace Hunter Brown offers Cy Young upside after an All-Star bid in 2025. Houston\u2019s front office has added right-handed pitcher Tatsuya Imai from Japan.<\/a> There\u2019s a lot to like in Joe Espada\u2019s clubhouse.<\/p>\n But these days, finding and accessing the weekly MLB slate can feel like a gauntlet. Blackouts complicate the regional access, while the league has added new national broadcasters in NBC and Netflix. ESPN is losing \u201cSunday Night Baseball\u201d but gaining MLB.TV. Use this guide to catch up on all that has changed.<\/p>\n Astros fans should follow the team on The Athletic<\/a> as well. Staff writer Chandler Rome<\/a> roams the H-Town beat for us.<\/p>\n You can watch MLB games live on Fubo (Stream Free Now!<\/a>) all season.<\/p>\n Astros games on Space CityIn-market fans<\/p>\n Most Astros games fall on the regional Space City Home Network. Under current blackout rules, in-market Astros fans can\u2019t use MLB.TV to stream the Space City games live.<\/p>\n Those with Space City in their TV package are all set. Those without it need the direct-to-consumer option, SCHN+, which also includes local broadcasts for the NBA\u2019s Houston Rockets. Those who are still unsure can use this helpful channel finder<\/a>.<\/p>\n Anyone whose participating satellite or cable provider carries Space City Home Network can access SCHN+ for free. As of March 2026, that list includes DirecTV, Fubo, I-net and U-verse.<\/p>\n Todd Kalas returns for his 10th play-by-play season with the Astros. Kalas\u2019 father, Harry, started his legendary MLB announcing career on the Astros broadcast in 1965. Former switch-hitting Astro Geoff Blum handles color commentary. Texas native Julia Morales is the sideline reporter. That trio each has five Lone Star Emmys on their respective mantles (or wherever they might display them; we don\u2019t want to assume).<\/p>\n What you need to watch: A provider with Space City Home Network, or a subscription to SCHN+ ($19.99\/month, $199.99\/year).<\/p>\n Out-of-market fans<\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re a resettled Texan or adopted the team during this dominant decade, all out-of-market supporters need MLB.TV for regional Astros games.<\/p>\n MLB season ticket holders get an automatic MLB.TV login code, and T-Mobile customers get it for free through their cell service. Returning MLB.TV subscribers keep their plans through the league. But because ESPN is now selling and running the package, all new sign-ups must come through ESPN Unlimited, with a one-month trial included for the newcomers. According to The Athletic\u2019s Evan Drellich<\/a>, users don\u2019t need to keep the ESPN Unlimited plan to access the MLB.TV one, at least not for 2026.<\/p>\n What you need to watch:\u00a0MLB.TV. It\u2019s $134.99 annually for ESPN Unlimited subscribers and $149.99 for others.<\/p>\n Astros games on national TV<\/p>\n The league\u2019s national TV partners are sorted alphabetically, with the main days for MLB action listed below.<\/p>\n ABC\/ESPN<\/p>\n Main days: Sunday for ABC, midweek for ESPN<\/p>\n ESPN and MLB have been tied together since the 1990 season. The stalwart is no longer home to \u201cSunday Night Baseball,\u201d but its reworked agreement gives it 30 regular-season exclusives in 2026. That slate begins Wednesday, April 15.<\/p>\n Over-the-air parent network ABC has three telecasts this year as part of the 30-game purchase.<\/p>\n What you need to watch: ABC is free with an antenna. ABC and ESPN are included with most pay TV providers, and they\u2019re also available with an ESPN Unlimited subscription (starting at $29.99\/month). Some pay TV providers, like Fubo and a few others, include ESPN Unlimited with their subscription.<\/p>\n Apple TV<\/p>\n Main day: Friday<\/p>\n This is home to \u201cFriday Night Baseball,\u201d which started in 2022. That weekly window is usually a doubleheader, free from local blackouts but exclusive to Apple TV.<\/p>\n Houston gets the very first \u201cFriday Night Baseball\u201d of the season, welcoming the division rival Los Angeles Angels on March 27.<\/p>\n What you need to watch: An Apple TV subscription (starting at $12.99\/month).<\/p>\n Fox\/FS1<\/p>\n Main days: Saturday for Fox, midweek or Saturday for FS1, All-Star Game<\/p>\n There are 23 \u201cBaseball Night in America\u201d Saturday centerpieces lined up on Fox. The network airs two games at 7 p.m. ET and assigns markets by matchup relevance. Some Saturdays are doubleheaders with an FS1 game in the early afternoon.<\/p>\n FS1 has an additional weekly spot falling on Mondays, Wednesdays or Thursdays. Fox and FS1 total more than 85 regular-season games this year.<\/p>\n The Astros\u2019 first FS1 date is Saturday, May 9, when they hit the road to face the Cincinnati Reds, their former NL Central foes. Their first Fox spotlight is at the Kansas City Royals on Saturday, June 13.<\/p>\n Come October, Fox has the NLDS and NLCS playoff series, plus the Fall Classic itself. Joe Davis has been on the World Series call since 2022, when he took over for longtime play-by-play voice Joe Buck. John Smoltz has been the color commentator since 2016. Fox\u2019s World Series hold dates back to 2000 and runs through at least 2028.<\/p>\n What you need to watch: Fox is free with an antenna. Fox and FS1 are included with most pay TV providers, and they also stream with a Fox One subscription (starting at $19.99\/month).<\/p>\n MLB Network<\/p>\n Main days: Throughout the week<\/p>\n Here\u2019s our backstop, unassuming but reliable. The \u201cMLB Network Showcase\u201d has been around since 2009. The network usually airs a couple of games each week.<\/p>\n What you need to watch: A pay TV provider with MLB Network, typically included in standard or sports plans. MLB Network also streams with an MLB.TV subscription (starting at $134.99\/year).<\/p>\n NBC\/Peacock<\/p>\n Main day: Sunday, Opening Day<\/p>\n \u201cSunday Night Baseball\u201d migrates from ESPN to NBC and Peacock, as the Universal network returns to live MLB coverage for the first time in 25 years. NBC, its streamer and the linear NBC Sports Network combine for 27 prime-time games and 34 afternoon ones in 2026. Some of the Sunday nighters are exclusive to Peacock.<\/p>\n Houston introduces itself on Peacock on July 5, at home against the Tampa Bay Rays as part of the network\u2019s \u201cStar Spangled Sunday\u201d special. It gets an NBC spot the following month, visiting the San Diego Padres on Aug. 9.<\/p>\n NBC\u2019s lineup launches with an Opening Day doubleheader on March 26 and concludes with the playoff wild-card series. To trumpet the return, the network has brought on some big names, including Bob Costas, Clayton Kershaw, Joey Votto and Anthony Rizzo.<\/p>\n Peacock usually has a live game in its \u201cMLB Sunday Leadoff\u201d spot, most of them with noon local starts.<\/p>\n What you need to watch: NBC is free with an antenna, but Peacock requires a subscription (starting at $10.99\/month for live sports). NBCSN is included in select pay TV providers.<\/p>\n Netflix<\/p>\n Main days: Opening Night, Home Run Derby, \u201cField of Dreams\u201d<\/p>\n Already venturing into live sports with NFL Christmas Day, Netflix has three MLB exclusives this season, starting with the 2026 opener (New York Yankees at San Francisco Giants) on March 25.<\/p>\n July 13 is the Home Run Derby, airing with All-Star festivities. Aug. 13 is the \u201cField of Dreams\u201d game, a neutral-site showcase in Iowa with the Philadelphia Phillies and Minnesota Twins. The Netflix arrangement runs through 2028.<\/p>\n What you need to watch: A Netflix subscription (starting at $7.99\/month).<\/p>\n TBS<\/p>\n Main day: Tuesday<\/p>\n TBS Tuesdays continue in 2026. Houston has a high-profile opening on this network, hosting the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday, May 5. There will be much chatter<\/a> around that one, of course.<\/p>\n TBS also has this year\u2019s ALDS and ALCS playoff rounds. The 2026 Astros hope to make an appearance.<\/p>\n What you need to watch: A pay TV provider with TBS, or an HBO Max subscription (starting at $10.99\/month).<\/p>\n