Getty Justin Verlander looks to help the Houston Astros reach a fourth World Series since 2017.
The Houston Astros return a core of players with championship experience and will look to make another run at the World Series in 2022.
In 2022, most Astros games will be locally televised on AT&T SportsNet Southwest, while others may be nationally televised on MLB Network (those ones will also be on AT&T SportsNet Southwest), ESPN, ESPN2, Fox or Fox Sports 1.
If you don’t have cable, here are some different ways you can watch every Astros game live online in 2022, including options for both in-market and out-of-market viewers:
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If You’re in the Astros Market
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream has four different channel packages: “Entertainment,” “Choice,” “Ultimate” and “Premier.” ESPN, ESPN2, Fox and FS1 are included in every one, while AT&T SportsNet Southwest and MLB Network are in “Choice” and up, but you can pick any package and any add-ons you want with your free five-day trial:
Once signed up for DirecTV Stream, you can watch Astros games live on the DirecTV Stream app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Samsung TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the DirecTV Stream website.
If you can’t watch live, DirecTV Stream comes with unlimited cloud DVR recordings.
FuboTV
You can watch a live stream of AT&T SportsNet Southwest, ESPN, ESPN2, Fox, FS1, MLB Network and 100-plus other live TV channels on FuboTV. You’ll need to include the “Sports Plus” add-on for MLB Network, but AT&T SportsNet Southwest and the others are included in the main channel package, and you can include any add-ons you want with your free seven-day trial:
Once signed up for FuboTV, you can watch Astros games live on the FuboTV app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the FuboTV website.
If you can’t watch live, FuboTV comes with 250 hours of cloud DVR space.
If You’re Out of the Astros Market
Amazon Prime’s MLB.TV Channel
Amazon Prime subscribers (Prime comes with a 30-day free trial) can watch every out-of-market, non-nationally televised MLB game via Prime Channels.
The MLB.TV channel costs either $24.99 per month to watch every out-of-market game (“All Team Pass”) or $109.99 for the year to just watch out-of-market Astros games (“Single Team Pass”), but either option comes with a free seven-day trial:
MLB.TV Amazon Prime Free Trial
Once you’re signed up for the Prime MLB.TV Channel, out-of-market viewers can watch Astros games live on the Prime Video app on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4 or 5, various smart TV’s, Xiaomi, Echo Show or Echo Spot, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. You can also watch on your computer via the Amazon website.
If you can’t watch live, all games are available on-demand by the next day.
MLB.TV
This is ultimately the same as the Amazon Prime option above, only you’ll watch games on MLB’s digital platforms instead of Amazon’s.
You can watch all out-of-market, non-nationally televised MLB games via MLB.TV. It costs $24.99 per month or $129.99 for the year to watch every out-of-market game, or $109.99 for the year to just watch out-of-market Astros games. The monthly and yearly all-team options include a free seven-day trial (the single-team option does not):
Once signed up for MLB.TV, out-of-market viewers can watch Astros games live on the MLB TV app on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, various Smart TV’s, Samsung Smart TV, Android TV, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. You can also watch on your computer via the MLB.TV website.
If you can’t watch live, all games are available on-demand by the next day.
ESPN+
This isn’t going to be an option to watch many Astros games, but if you’re looking for a cheap way to watch a random MLB game daily, ESPN+ includes at least one out-of-market game every day during the regular season:
In addition to one live MLB game every day, ESPN+ also has dozens of other live sports, every 30-for-30 documentary and additional original content (both video and written) all for $6.99 per month.
Or, if you also want Disney+ and Hulu, you can get all three for $13.99 per month. Separately, the three streaming services would cost a total $20.97 per month, so you’re saving about 33 percent:
Get the ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu Bundle
Once signed up for ESPN+, out-of-market viewers can watch select MLB games live on the ESPN app on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, PlayStation 4 or 5, Xbox One or Series X/S, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), Samsung Smart TV, Oculus Go, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch on your computer via ESPN.com.
Astros Season Preview 2022
Houston has made a habit of sustained championship-level success despite key free agent departures in recent years. The Astros look to do more of the same in 2022. Notably, the Astros will have ace pitcher Justin Verlander back from Tommy John surgery. He hasn’t pitched since his lone appearance in the 2020 season.
Justin Verlander, 4Ks thru 2 innings.
2021 Season Review
The Astros went 95-67 and won the American League West Division on its way to a third World Series appearance in five years.
Houston ranked first in the AL for batting and runs scored, and the Astros went yard often as the fifth-ranked team in home runs last season. Pitching remained dominant with four starting pitchers staying under 3.65 ERA.
Key Transactions
Free Agency: The Astros lost Carlos Correa to the Minnesota Twins but will look to prospect Jeremy Pena to fill the void.
Projected Lineup
- Martin Maldonando, C: Maldonando hit .172 for 12 home runs, 36 RBI and 40 runs scored last season.
- Yuli Gurriel, 1B: Gurriel batted .319 for 15 home runs, 81 RBI, and 83 runs scored in 2021.
- Jose Altuve, 2B: Altuve averaged .278 at the plate for 31 home runs, 83 RBI, and 117 runs scored last year.
- Alex Bregman, 3B: Bregman hit .270 for 12 home runs, 55 RBI and 54 runs scored in 2021.
- Jeremy Pena, SS: Pena will look to fill Correa’s shoes after moving up from the minor leagues. Pena batted .287 with 10 home runs and 19 RBI in 30 games last year for his last minor league stop with AAA Sugar Land.
- Michael Brantley, LF: Brantley hit .311 for 47 RBI, 68 runs scored, and 40 extra base hits in 2021.
- Chase McCormick, CF: McCormick averaged .257 at the plate for 14 home runs, 50 RBI, and 47 runs scored last season.
- Kyle Tucker, RF: Tucker posted a .294 average, 30 home runs, 92 RBI, and 83 runs scored in 2021. He also had 14 stolen bases.
- Yordan Alvarez, DH: Alvarez averaged .277 at the plate for 33 home runs, 104 RBI, and 92 runs scored last year.
Projected Starting Rotation
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- Justin Verlander, RHP: Verlander returns from Tommy John surgery. He went 21-6 with a 2.58 ERA in 2019, his last full season.
- Lance McCullers Jr., RHP: McCullers had a 3.16 ERA and 185 strikeouts in his 13-5 showing last season.
- Frambler Valdez, LHP: Valdez went 11-6 with a 3.14 ERA and 125 strikeouts in 2021.
- Luis Garcia, RHP: Garcia posted an 11-8 record with a 3.48 ERA and 167 strikeouts last year.
- Jake Odorizzi, RHP: Odorizzi had a 6-7 record with a 4.21 ERA and 91 strikeouts.
Projected lineups based on ESPN, CBS Sports, and MLB.com.