Tarik Skubal — the reigning ace the Dodgers landed from the Tigers — is striking out double-digit batters in Dodger blue, and a lot of people suddenly want to know the same thing: where do I actually watch these games? The answer depends almost entirely on one question — do you live in the Los Angeles area or not? This guide covers both, plus what it all costs and the genuinely free options.
The Fast Answer
- You live in or near Los Angeles: Dodgers games air on SportsNet LA, the team's regional sports network. The most reliable ways to get it are Spectrum cable or DirecTV. Most à-la-carte streaming services do not solve this.
- You live anywhere else in the US: Get MLB.TV (around $150 for the season). Every Dodgers game is live and on demand, no cable required.
- You just want the occasional game for free: MLB.TV's Free Game of the Day, nationally televised games on Fox (free with an antenna), and select streaming exclusives cover you a few times a month.
Now the details, because Dodgers TV access has been one of the messier situations in sports for a decade.
If You Live Outside the LA Market: MLB.TV Is the Easy Button
This is the simple, happy path. MLB.TV streams every out-of-market game live and on demand, with home and away broadcast feeds, on basically every device (Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, smart TVs, phones, game consoles).
- All-team plan: typically around $150 per season, or about $30/month if you'd rather pay as you go.
- Single-team plan: typically around $130 per season for just the Dodgers.
If you're a Tigers fan who followed Skubal west, note that the single-team plan locks you to one club — the all-team plan is usually worth the extra $20 if you watch more than one team.
The catch is the word out-of-market: if you're inside the Dodgers' home territory (LA and much of Southern California and Nevada), MLB.TV blacks out Dodgers games. That's why the next section exists.
If You Live in the LA Market: SportsNet LA
The large majority of Dodgers games air on SportsNet LA (SNLA), the Charter/Spectrum-operated regional network. Your realistic options:
| Option | Type | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum TV | Cable | ~$60–$100/mo | The network's home; most reliable option |
| DirecTV (satellite) | Satellite | ~$85+/mo | Carries SNLA in market |
| DirecTV Stream | Live TV streaming | ~$90+/mo | Check that SNLA is in your ZIP code's lineup before subscribing |
| Other regional providers | Cable/telco | Varies | Carriage varies by provider — check the SportsNet LA site for the current list |
Two important warnings:
- The big streaming bundles historically don't carry SNLA. YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and Fubo have gone years without the channel. Lineups do change, so verify on the service's channel page for your ZIP code before signing up — but don't assume a $75/month streaming bundle includes Dodgers games, because it usually hasn't.
- MLB.TV won't rescue you in market. Local blackout rules apply no matter how much you pay. MLB has been rolling out in-market streaming options for some clubs whose regional networks collapsed, but the Dodgers' situation is different — SNLA is alive and well. Check MLB.com's in-market streaming page for the current status before assuming anything.
If you're in the LA area and refuse to get cable or satellite, your realistic path is the national broadcasts and free games covered below, plus the SportsNet LA app if your provider login supports it.
National Broadcasts: No Regional Network Needed
A meaningful slice of the Dodgers' schedule — they're a marquee team, especially with Skubal now fronting the rotation — lands on national TV, which anyone in the US can get:
- Fox / FS1: Saturday games. Fox's main network is free over the air with an antenna.
- TBS: weekly national games and a chunk of the postseason.
- Apple TV+: Friday Night Baseball exclusives, included with an Apple TV+ subscription (around $13/month — check current pricing).
- Other national partners: MLB's national rights have been reshuffling for 2026, with games and packages moving between networks and streamers. Rather than guess, check the broadcast schedule on MLB.com or the Dodgers' schedule page — every game listing shows its broadcaster.
Time-sensitive note (check before relying on this): national packages, exclusive streaming windows, and postseason rights are the part of this guide most likely to change season to season. The durable rule is simpler and hasn't changed: local games live on SportsNet LA; out-of-market fans use MLB.TV; the rest is gravy.
Cost Breakdown at a Glance
| If you are... | Best option | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Outside LA, want every game | MLB.TV (all teams) | ~$150/season |
| Outside LA, Dodgers only | MLB.TV (single team) | ~$130/season |
| In LA, want every game | Spectrum or DirecTV | ~$60–$100/month |
| Anywhere, occasional games | Antenna (Fox) + free games | $0 after a ~$25 antenna |
| Anywhere, Friday exclusives | Apple TV+ | ~$13/month |
Free and Cheapest Ways to Watch
- MLB.TV Free Game of the Day: MLB streams one free game daily with a free MLB.com account. The Dodgers show up in the rotation regularly — a genuinely free, legal way to catch Skubal a few times a season.
- An antenna: a one-time ~$25 purchase gets you Fox's Saturday national games in HD, free, forever. If a Dodgers game is on big Fox, an antenna is all you need.
- Streaming free trials: some live TV services offer short trials — fine for a single big series, not a season strategy.
- MLB.com and the MLB app: free live look-ins, condensed games shortly after the final out, and every Skubal strikeout in the highlights feed at no cost.
- Radio: every game streams on the MLB app's audio feeds (cheap tier) — and the Dodgers' radio broadcast is a classic.
Catching Skubal's Starts Specifically
A starting pitcher only goes every fifth day, so if Skubal is the draw, don't guess. Check the probable pitchers page on MLB.com or the MLB app, which lists starters about a week out. Pair that with the broadcast listing on the schedule and you'll know exactly which service you need for each of his starts — sometimes it's SNLA or MLB.TV, sometimes it's a free national game.
FAQ
Is there any way to watch in LA without cable or satellite? Mostly no, and that's been true for years. SportsNet LA is not on the major streaming bundles, so in-market cord-cutters are limited to national broadcasts, the Free Game of the Day, and whatever in-market streaming MLB may offer — check MLB.com for the current options.
Does MLB.TV include playoff games? No. The postseason airs on national TV partners (historically Fox/FS1, TBS, and others). You'll need those channels — via cable, a live TV streaming service, or an antenna for over-the-air games.
I'm a Tigers fan — can I still watch Skubal? Yes, easily, as long as you're outside the LA market: any MLB.TV plan that includes the Dodgers shows all of his starts. Inside LA territory you're covered by SportsNet LA like everyone else.