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How to watch the Pittsburgh Pirates live in 2024
Apr 16, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jose Hernandez (61) pitches against the New York Mets during the seventh inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

How to watch the Pittsburgh Pirates live in 2024

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The Pirates are coming off a losing season, ending their 2023 run with a 76-86 record. However, the Bucs are off to a strong start in 2024. In fact, with 12 games under their belt, the team topped the leaderboard in the National League Central Division. 

As Jared Triolo and company make a run for their first World Series win since 1979, you won’t want to miss a single run. Luckily, whether you’re a local Pirates fan or you want to keep up while living out-of-market, there is a way to watch every inning of your favorite team with access to live TV streaming platforms


What channels are Pittsburgh Pirates games on this season?

Most Pirates games can be found on the regional network SportsNet Pittsburgh this season. However, you can still catch some games if you have MLB Network, Fox and ESPN Plus. The team also appears on an Apple TV+ exclusive game this season vs. the Minnesota Twins. 


DIRECTV STREAM Fubo Hulu + Live TV Sling TV YouTube TV
SportsNet Pittsburgh





MLB Network





Fox



✔*

ESPN Plus





*Local channels only available in select locations

How to watch the Pittsburgh Pirates on DIRECTV STREAM

  • Pricing begins at $79.99/mo
  • 90+ live TV channels
  • Free trial available

DIRECTV STREAM offers SportsNet Pittsburgh, but the availability of coverage may depend on your zip code. In some areas, you can only get the channel with the Ultimate or Premier package and could be required to install a satellite. In other areas, you’ll just need the Choice plan or above to access the network. 

Regardless, this platform is one of just two that offer SportsNet coverage to local fans. DIRECTV STREAM packages range in price, and the top three tiers of service have more than 100 channels All Pirates fans can get MLB Network and Fox in their lineup -- MLB Network requires the Choice plan and above. 

Other sports networks on DIRECTV STREAM lineups include NFL Network, NHL Network, NFL RedZone, NBA TV, MotorTrend, CBS Sports Network and Fox Sports 2. The service has college action on networks like SEC Network and Big Ten Network, too. DIRECTV STREAM has unlimited DVR storage.  


How to watch the Pittsburgh Pirates on Fubo

  • Pricing begins at $79.99/mo
  • 190+ live TV channels
  • Free trial available

There are three Fubo plans for Pirates fans to choose from. The provider is also the only livestreaming service aside from DIRECTV STREAM to offer SportsNet Pittsburgh for local customers. If you live out-of-network, you can watch the Pirates on MLB Network and Fox using Fubo.  

In addition to baseball, Fubo has a variety of channels that cater to sports fans. These include Boxing TV, NFL Network, Big Ten Network and Golf Channel. The Sports Lite Add-on includes channels like MLB Network, MLB Strikezone, NHL Network and NBA TV. Fubo also has 1000 hours of cloud DVR storage space at no additional charge. 


How to watch the Pittsburgh Pirates on Hulu + Live TV

  • Pricing begins at $76.99/mo
  • 95+ live TV channels
  • 3-day free trial

Hulu + Live TV is also a good place to watch the Pirates. The livestreaming service has two plans. Both plans have the same 90+ channel lineup. This platform doesn’t have SportsNet, but it does give all subscribers ESPN Plus at no extra charge. You can even use your Hulu login to access ESPN Plus, which makes it easy to sign in. In addition to ESPN Plus coverage, you’ll also have MLB Network and Fox. 

Hulu + Live TV’s sports channels also include ESPN2, FS2, NFL Network, TNT, the ACC Network, Big Ten Network and SEC Network. You can purchase a Sports Add-on to get NFL RedZone, FanDuel TV, FanDuel Racing, MAVTV, Outdoor Channel and Sportsman Channel. Plus, you’ll get unlimited cloud DVR.  


How to watch the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sling TV

  • Pricing begins at $40.00/mo
  • 31+ live TV channels
  • Free trial currently unavailable

Like most livestreaming platforms, Sling TV lacks SportsNet Pittsburgh but has other networks needed to watch the Pirates on national broadcasts. You can get the MLB Network in the Sports Extra, and you may get Fox, depending on where you live. Unfortunately, Pittsburgh is not a city where Sling TV has Fox local coverage, but many major metro areas give you access. This includes Philadelphia and New York. There are three Sling TV plans to choose from. Where you can get Fox, you’ll need Sling Blue or Sling Orange & Blue to watch. 

The Sports Extra add-on packages cost extra. Most importantly, these extras have MLB Network. But you’ll also get networks like MLB Network Strike Zone, NHL Network, NBA TV, Tennis Channel, NFL RedZone and Golf Channel. Customers get 50 hours of DVR storage or can upgrade to 200 hours for an extra monthly.


How to watch the Pittsburgh Pirates on YouTube TV

  • Pricing begins at $72.99/mo
  • 100+ live TV channels
  • Free trial available

Unfortunately, YouTube TV lacks both MLB Network and SportsNet Pittsburgh. This leaves you with just Fox to watch the Pirates, so you’ll miss nearly all games unless you supplement your subscription with ESPN Plus, MLB TV or Apple TV Plus. YouTube TV has more than 100 channels. On the plus side, YouTube TV is the exclusive home of the NFL Sunday Ticket for an additional fee. Plus, you will have access to NFL Network, FS1, FS2, MotorTrend, SEC Network, the CBS Sports Network and the Tennis Channel as a part of your regular plan. 

YouTube TV has a Sports Plus add-on that features NFL RedZone, Fox Soccer Plus, Billiard TV, FanDuel TV, Fight Network and more. You may also enjoy the key play and live stats features, which offers a special real-time viewing experience. Customers get unlimited DVR and all recordings will be saved for nine months or until you delete them. 


How to watch the Pittsburgh Pirates on Apple TV+

  • New Apple Originals streaming every month
  • Compatible with most streaming devices
  • Includes select MLB and MLS games

MLB has partnered with Apple to create some exclusive content for the 2024 baseball season. Two MLB games per week will air exclusively on Apple TV+’s “Friday Night Baseball” this year. When the Pirates take on the Minnesota Twins in June, this is where you can find the game. Plus Apple TV+ has a seven-day free trial.

You can sign up for Apple TV+ on the Apple website or by using the Apple TV+ app on your Apple device. You can watch MLB on Apple using many devices and smart TVs, including Amazon Fire TVs, Amazon Fire TV Sticks smart TVs, Roku devices, PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles and Chromecast with Google TV.


How to watch Pittsburgh Pirates out-of-market games with MLB TV

You can use MLB TV to watch out-of-market Pirates games, making it a good option for fans who no longer live near Allegheny County. MLB TV experiences very few blackouts.

If you live in or near Pittsburgh you can opt for a team pass instead. This ensures you can watch all Pirates games. You can get both season passes for an extra cost. Signing up for MLB TV is simple on the MLB website, and Amazon Prime members can add it as a channel to their existing subscription. 


FAQ

How can I watch all the Pirates games?

If you want to watch every Pirates game, you’ll need SportsNet Pittsburgh as a local fan. If you’re living out of market, MLB TV will carry all games that are not shown on a national broadcast. Games on Fox or MLB Network may be blacked out. 

What app can I watch the Pittsburgh Pirates game on?

The MLB TV app allows you to watch all Pirates games if you live out of the area. The team also airs on SportsNet Pittsburgh, Fox and MLB Network. The ESPN Plus and Apple TV+ apps also carry a few games per season.

How can I watch the Pittsburgh Pirates out-of-market?

MLB TV allows you to watch the Pirates out-of-market with few blackouts.

Lara Vukelich is a freelance writer based in San Diego, California. She has written for sites including Huffington Post, Expedia, Travelocity and CNET.