The 2025 MLB Wildcard Series is almost too good to be true, serving up a pair of clashes between AL Central foes the Tigers and Guardians, and AL East rivals the Red Sox and Yankees. The Padres and Cubs, meanwhile, went 3-3 in the regular season, and the Reds' tie against the Dodgers comes bearing the gift of bonus Shohei Ohtani time as he embarks on his first two-way postseason.
You can watch MLB Wildcard Series 2025 from anywhere with a VPN and potentially for free.
The 2025 MLB Wildcard Series runs from Tuesday, September 30 to Thursday, October 2. Full schedule below.
• U.K. — BBC iPlayer (FREE select games)
• U.S. — ABC, ESPN, FOX, FS1, TBS, TNT and TruTV via Sling TV
• Watch anywhere — Try NordVPN 100% risk free
An eight-game winning streak wasn't enough to to secure direct qualification to the Division Series for New York, but what's more amazing still is that Aaron Boone's men have been handed the worst possible draw. Boston went 9-4 against the Evil Empire this season, a record that includes five wins at Yankee Stadium, while Garrett Crochet has mostly had Aaron Judge's number.
Detroit and Cleveland share a perfect 1,166-1,166 record with 12 ties, but Stephen Vogt's men have had the best of things lately. They went 8-5 against the Tigers this season, and came from behind to win their Division Series encounter last year. Detroit, however, have pitching Triple Crown and Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal.
Things should be similarly tight between San Diego and Chicago, who each won two of three home games across their regular-season series. Cincinnati will do well to send Los Angeles to a Game 3 decider. The Dodgers went 5-1 against the Reds, by a combined score of 31-15.
Check out all of the TV and streaming details below to find out how to watch MLB Wildcard Series 2025 from anywhere, including free options. Scroll down for the full schedule.
Watch MLB Wildcard Series live streams for FREE
You can watch select MLB games free-of-charge on BBC iPlayer in the U.K..
Currently, the BBC has these games scheduled:
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Wednesday, October 1
1:08 p.m. — Tigers vs Guardians Game 2
3:08 p.m. — Padres vs Cubs Game 2
Away from home? You may not be able to watch the action like you normally would due to regional restrictions. Fortunately, there’s an easy solution — you can use a VPN to watch MLB Wildcard Series 2025 for free. We’ll show you how to do that below.
Watch MLB Wildcard Series from anywhere
Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching the baseball on your usual subscription?
You can still watch MLB Wildcard Series live thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software allows your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are, making it ideal for viewers away on vacation or on business. Our favorite is NordVPN — we explain why in our NordVPN review.
How to watch MLB Wildcard Series live streams in the U.S.
The MLB Wildcard Series games are split between ESPN and ABC, with live streaming available via ESPN Unlimited.
However, with postseason games also being televised on FOX, FS1, TBS, TNT and TruTV, the most cost-efficient way of watching the MLB Playoffs as a whole is via one of the best cable TV alternatives.
Sling will give you the most bang for your buck. Sling Blue includes FS1, TBS, TNT and TruTV, plus local network affiliates from ABC, FOX and NBC (availability varies by market). Sling Orange carries ESPN, TBS and TNT. Both plans start at $46/month, but you can combine them for $61/month and get 50% off your first month.
YouTube TV, Hulu With Live TV, and the DirecTV Stream MySports Genre Pack will also get you comprehensive postseason coverage, while Fubo carries ABC, ESPN, FOX and FS1 on its Sports + News plan.
FOX simulcasts its coverage on FOX One, which costs $19.99/month or $199.99/year after a 7-day FREE trial.
ESPN simulcasts its coverage on ESPN Unlimited, which carries ESPN Select and all ESPN channels, and costs $29.99/month or $299.99/year, but for a limited time you can bundle it with Disney Plus and Hulu for $29.99/month for 12 months.
TBS, TNT and TruTV simulcast their games on Max, which starts at $16.99/month for a plan that includes live sports.
How to watch MLB Wildcard Series live streams in the U.K.
At least one game from the MLB Wildcard Series round will be live streamed free-of-charge on BBC iPlayer in the U.K..
If you're on holiday outside the U.K., you can still tap into your free MLB stream by using one of the best VPN services, such as NordVPN.
Comprehensive MLB postseason coverage is being provided by TNT Sports, across multiple channels.
You can stream TNT Sports live online by subscribing to the Discovery Plus Premium plan for £30.99/month, or you can add TNT Sports through Sky, BT, EE or Virgin Media to watch via your television provider.
How to watch MLB Wildcard Series live streams in Canada
In Canada, MLB coverage is exclusive to Sportsnet.
You can stream MLB Wildcard Series games live on Sportsnet Plus, which starts at CA$29.99/month. Both Standard and Premium plans let you watch MLB.
If you live in Canada but aren't at home right now, you can still watch MLB live streams by using a quality VPN like NordVPN to unlock your usual service.
How to watch MLB Wildcard Series live streams in Australia
Aussies will find MLB Wildcard Series live streams on ESPN via Foxtel.
Don't have Foxtel and don't want to subscribe? The game will also be shown on Kayo Sports, with its affordable, commitment-free plans starting from just AU$30/month, and hosting plenty of NFL, cricket, AFL, rugby, F1 and loads of other live sports besides.
Anybody who hasn't used the service before can choose between a 7-day FREE trial and 1 month for AU$1.
Not in Australia right now? You can simply use a VPN like NordVPN to watch all the action on your account as if you were back home.
MLB Wildcard Series schedule 2025
Tuesday, September 30
1:08 p.m. — Tigers vs Guardians Game 1 (ESPN, ESPN Unlimited)
3:08 p.m. — Padres vs Cubs Game 1 (ABC, ESPN3, ESPN Unlimited)
6:08 p.m. — Red Sox vs Yankees Game 1 (ESPN, ESPN Unlimited)
9:08 p.m. — Reds vs Dodgers Game 1 (ESPN, ESPN Unlimited)
Wednesday, October 1
1:08 p.m. — Tigers vs Guardians Game 2 (ESPN, ESPN Unlimited)
3:08 p.m. — Padres vs Cubs Game 2 (ABC, ESPN Unlimited)
6:08 p.m. — Red Sox vs Yankees Game 2 (ESPN, ESPN Unlimited)
9:08 p.m. — Reds vs Dodgers Game 2 (ESPN, ESPN Unlimited)
Thursday, October 1
TBA — Tigers vs Guardians Game 3 (if necessary)
TBA — Padres vs Cubs Game 3 (if necessary)
TBA — Red Sox vs Yankees Game 3 (if necessary)
TBA — Reds vs Dodgers Game 3 (if necessary)
(All times ET)
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