After a big win on Wednesday night, the Atlanta Braves are one victory away from punching their ticket to the World Series. They will have their first chance to close out the Dodgers when Game 5 of the NLCS tips off at 8:08 p.m. ET (5:08 p.m. PT) on TBS from Los Angeles. Braves ace Max Fried will be the starting pitcher for Atlanta while the Dodgers may be considering another bullpen game.
Here’s how you can watch the NLCS, the ALCS and the rest of MLB’s postseason without cable.
Freddie Freeman and the Atlanta Braves will have their first chance to eliminate the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night.
Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
What’s the schedule for the championship round?
After Wednesday’s doubleheader, the NL teams play Thursday and the AL teams play Friday. If each series goes the distance, Game 7 of the ALCS would be Saturday night and Game 7 of the NLCS would be Sunday night. The 2021 World Series starts on Tuesday, Oct. 26.
Here’s the schedule for the next few days:
Thursday, Oct. 21
- NLCS Game 5: Braves vs. Dodgers, 8:08 p.m. ET (5:08 p.m. PT) on TBS
Friday, Oct. 22
- ALCS Game 6: Red Sox vs. Astros, 8:08 p.m. ET (5:08 p.m. PT) on FS1
Saturday, Oct. 23
- NLCS Game 6 (if necessary): Dodgers vs. Braves, 5:08 p.m. ET (2:08 p.m. PT) on TBS
- ALCS Game 7 (if necessary): Red Sox vs. Astros, 8:08 p.m. ET (5:08 p.m. PT) on Fox/FS1
You can see the full MLB postseason schedule here.
What does the playoff bracket look like?
The Red Sox and Astros are the last two teams standing in the American League, while the Braves and the Dodgers represent the National League.
Here’s what baseball’s playoff bracket looks like so far:
MLB
What channels do I need to watch the MLB playoffs?
All of the National League playoff games are on TBS, and the American League games are on Fox and FS1. The World Series will be broadcast on Fox.
How can I watch the MLB playoffs without cable?
Four of the five major live TV streaming services offer the three channels — Fox, FS1 and TBS — needed for the rest of the playoffs. You won’t miss a game with YouTube TV, Sling TV, Hulu with Live TV or DirecTV Stream (formerly AT&T TV), but not every service carries every local network, so check each one using the links below to make sure it carries Fox in your area.
If you live in an area with good reception, then you can watch some American League playoff games and World Series on Fox for free on over-the-air broadcast channels just by attaching an affordable (under $30) indoor antenna to nearly any TV.
YouTube TV costs $65 a month and offers the three channels for postseason baseball. Plug in your ZIP code on its welcome page to see which local networks are available in your area.
Hulu with Live TV costs $65 a month and carries Fox, FS1 and TBS. Click the “View all channels in your area” link at the bottom of its welcome page to see which local networks are available where you live.
DirecTV Stream’s cheapest, $70-a-month Plus package includes Fox, FS1 and TBS. You can use its channel lookup tool to see which local channels are available in your area.
FuboTV costs $65 per month and carries Fox and FS1 for the American League playoff games and the World Series, but not TBS for the National League games. Check out which local networks it offers here.
Each live TV streaming service offers a free trial, allows you to cancel anytime and requires a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our live TV streaming services guide.