The Pittsburgh Pirates recorded their highest win total since 2018 in 2023, with 76 games. It may not seem like a resoundingly successful season when compared to other teams, but the Pirates are undoubtedly trending in the right direction for 2024. The team is talented around the horn, but pitching has been the biggest question mark.
The Pittsburgh Pirates extended Mitch Keller with a five-year contract after his breakout season, ensuring that he will remain an integral part of their rotation for the foreseeable future. He has justified the new contract with much-needed consistency in the first half of the season. Another plus? The Pirates’ 2023 number-one draft pick, Paul Skenes, made his MLB debut and has turned in strong showings.
So, can the team exceed last year’s win total? Find out where you can follow along as the Pirates chase a playoff berth through live TV streaming services after cutting the cord with traditional cable.
What channels are Pittsburgh Pirates games on?
If you’re in the Pennsylvania area, you can catch local team coverage on SportsNet Pittsburgh. For national broadcasts, ESPN, Fox, Fox Sports 1 (FS1), MLB Network, and TBS are the essential channels. For those outside the Pennsylvania region, a subscription to MLB.TV is the best option.
| DIRECTV STREAM | FuboTV | Hulu + Live TV | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SportsNet Pittsburgh | ✔ | ✔ | |||
| ESPN | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Fox | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔* | ✔ |
| Fox Sports 1 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| MLB Network | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| TBS | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
How to watch the Pittsburgh Pirates on DIRECTV STREAM
- Suggested Plan: Choice
- Price: $108.99
- Free Trial: Yes, 5-Days
One of the best options for watching the Pittsburgh Pirates is DIRECTV STREAM. Each of DIRECTV STREAM’s four plans includes ESPN, Fox, FS1, and TBS. To access SportsNet Pittsburgh, you must upgrade to the Choice plan. Unlike other platforms, DIRECTV STREAM doesn’t charge a regional sports fee. Another benefit of upgrading to the Choice plan is unlocking the MLB Network for even more coverage.
DIRECTV STREAM provides unlimited DVR storage to record games for later viewing. The service’s unlimited at-home streams are also handy for larger households.
Watch the Pittsburgh Pirates on Fubo
- Suggested Plan: Pro
- Price: $79.99
- Free Trial: Yes, 7-Days
After DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo is the next best option for watching Pittsburgh Pirates games. You won’t find TBS, but the basic plan includes ESPN, Fox, and FS1. Most importantly, it also features SportsNet Pittsburgh, despite the fact that you have to pay an extra monthly fee to access the regional sports channel. MLB Network is also available, but you’ll have to upgrade to the Elite plan to access the channel.
Although Fubo’s cloud DVR may not offer as much storage space as other streamers (1,000 hours), it makes up for it with recordings that never expire. So, you won’t have to worry about missing your favorite sports moments because of storage space constraints.
Watch the Pittsburgh Pirates on Hulu + Live TV
- Suggested Plan: Hulu + Live TV
- Price: $76.99
- Free Trial: Yes, 3-Days
Hulu + Live TV is a sleeper as far as value for money. Besides the availability of all the baseball staples in the channel lineup—ESPN, Fox, FS1, MLB Network, and TBS—the streaming service offers access to Disney Plus and ESPN Plus. This introduces a variety of entertainment options like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Disney’s extensive library of animated features, and ESPN’s popular “30 for 30” series.
Unfortunately, Hulu + Live TV doesn’t include SportsNet Pittsburgh, but there is unlimited DVR storage.
Watch the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sling TV
- Suggested Plan: Sling Orange & Blue
- Price: $55
- Free Trial: N/A
Sling TV has built a reputation for budget-friendliness. Rather than just choosing the Orange or Blue package, we recommend combining Orange and Blue packages for the best baseball experience. This combo package gives access to ESPN, Fox, FS1, and TBS. You might want to consider adding MLB Network as part of the sports add-on for an additional monthly cost.
Compared to services like Hulu + Live TV and DIRECTV STREAM, which provide unlimited capacity for DVR storage, Sling TV’s 50 hours is significantly less. The absence of Regional Sports Networks is another issue. However, when you consider the favorable price point, Sling TV is a viable option.
Watch the Pittsburgh Pirates on YouTube TV
- Suggested Plan: Base
- Price: $72.99
- Free Trial: Yes, 7-Days
YouTube TV’s base plan includes ESPN, Fox, FS1, and TBS. Neither MLB Network nor SportsNet Pittsburgh are available. This live TV streamer is catered more to the all-year-round sports fan because it also offers NFL Sunday Ticket, as well as other channels for college sports, golf, and basketball fans.
YouTube TV offers three simultaneous streams, which is slightly more than rivals like Hulu + Live TV. Up to six people can have their own accounts, complete with individualized suggestions and unlimited DVR storage.
Watch games on Apple TV+
- Suggested Plan: Base
- Price: $9.99
- Free Trial: Yes, 7-Days
Apple TV+ is gaining popularity among streaming service subscribers. The original programming is a major selling point; it includes Emmy-winning shows like “Ted Lasso” and and “Severance.” Baseball fans, though, will also find the streamer useful. “Friday Night Baseball” features double-headers every Friday, and fans can expect to watch MLB games there all season long. With 162 games played by each MLB team, it is almost certain that the Pirates will be featured.
How to watch Pittsburgh Pirates games out-of-market
- Suggested Plan: Single Team
- Price: $104.99/year
- Free Trial: Yes, 7-Days
An MLB.TV subscription will allow you to watch Pittsburgh Pirates games even if you do not live in the Pennsylvania area. You’ll be able to watch live broadcasts of out-of-market games so you can keep up with the Pirates all season long. You can sign up right on MLB.TV or Amazon Prime Video Channels. If you’re on the fence about subscribing, MLB.TV offers a free trial to give you a risk-free rundown of what you can expect.
FAQ
What streaming service carries Pittsburgh Pirates?
Pittsburgh Pirates fans can access several live TV streaming services. DIRECTV STREAM, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, and YouTube TV offer a mix of national and local team coverage. DIRECTV STREAM and Fubo are the most competitive options to watch both locally and nationally aired games.
Who will televise the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2024?
Fans can find nationally televised games on ESPN, Fox, FS1, MLB Network, and TBS. Local coverage is available on SportsNet Pittsburgh.
Where can I watch the Pirate game tonight?
Multiple channels carry Pittsburgh Pirates games. For national coverage, tune into ESPN, Fox, FS1, MLB Network, or TBS, or catch local games on SportsNet Pittsburgh if you’re in the Pennsylvania area.
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