By @VisualTejeda – FriarPulse

Published November 19, 2025 — 9:42 PM (PST) — Carlsbad, California

Hey, what’s up everyone — welcome to another episode of FriarPulse! Today we’re diving into something a lot of Padres fans are confused about: the brand-new MLB media deal and what it means for watching Padres baseball in 2026.

So… what actually changes?

For the last two seasons, Padres fans have been watching games directly on MLB.TV since the Bally Sports situation collapsed. It’s been simple, clean, and honestly one of the smoothest viewing experiences we’ve had in years.

Starting in 2026, that changes — but not in a bad way. ESPN has officially purchased the exclusive in-market streaming rights to the Padres. That means if you live in the Padres’ TV territory, all regular-season Padres games will be on the ESPN streaming app instead of MLB.TV.

Do we know the price?

No. ESPN hasn’t released any pricing tiers, bundles, or subscription details. They teased something called “ESPN Unlimited,” but nothing is confirmed. So right now, we only know where the Padres games will be — not what it will cost.

Will the games be on cable ESPN?

No. This deal is for streaming rights, not nightly TV broadcasts. Padres games aren’t suddenly going to air on the ESPN cable channel every night. They’ll be streamed inside the ESPN app unless they’re part of a national broadcast on FOX, FS1, TBS, Apple TV+, Netflix, or ESPN’s limited national package.

What about out-of-market fans?

If you live outside San Diego’s viewing area, nothing changes. You’ll still watch the Padres on MLB.TV just like always.

Spring Training games?

This part isn’t confirmed yet. Most likely Spring Training stays on MLB.TV because MLB controls those rights separately, but MLB hasn’t made an official announcement. I’ll update this article as soon as they do.

Minor League games?

Minor League Padres baseball — El Paso, San Antonio, Fort Wayne, Lake Elsinore — will stay on MiLB.TV / MLB.TV. ESPN does not own those rights.

So what does this actually mean for Padres fans?

• In-market fans: Padres games move to ESPN’s streaming app in 2026.
• Out-of-market fans: Still on MLB.TV.
• Pricing: Unknown — ESPN hasn’t released anything yet.
• National games: Still on FOX, FS1, TBS, Apple TV+, Netflix, and select ESPN broadcasts.
• Spring Training: Most likely stays on MLB.TV (pending confirmation).

My honest take as a Padres fan

This isn’t a bad move. If anything, it stabilizes things. MLB has been trying to fix the broadcast mess ever since the Bally collapse, and giving the Padres to ESPN means the league trusts the San Diego market. It also means a bigger platform, stronger servers, and a cleaner viewing experience — something we’ve earned after the last few years.

I’ll update this article the minute ESPN announces pricing and how it ties into Hulu, Disney+, ESPN+, or any bundles.

Thanks for watching, Padres fans. Stay sharp, stay faithful, and I’ll catch you right here next time on FriarPulse.