After losing 102 games last year, it’s likely more of the same in 2023 for the Oakland Athletics, who have arguably the most bare roster in the league.
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Most Athletics games this season will be locally televised on NBC Sports California, while others may be nationally televised on MLB Network (those ones will also be on NBC Sports California), ESPN, ESPN2, Fox or FS1. A couple may be untelevised and stream on YouTube, Apple TV+, Peacock TV or ESPN+.
If you don’t have cable and you live in the Athletics market, you can watch a live stream of every televised Athletics game on FuboTV or DirecTV Stream, which both include NBC Sports California and come with a free trial.
Here’s a full rundown of those options, as well as some ways for out-of-market viewers to watch Athletics games live online without cable in 2023:
If You’re in the Athletics Market
FuboTV
You can watch a live stream of NBC Sports California, 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 you can include any add-ons you want with your free seven-day trial:
Once signed up for FuboTV, you can watch Athletics games live on the FuboTV app or FuboTV website.
Compatible devices for the FuboTV app include 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.
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 NBC Sports California 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 Athletics games live on the DirecTV Stream app or DirecTV Stream website.
Compatible devices for the DirecTV Stream app include 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.
If You’re Out of the Athletics 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 $129.99 for the year to just watch out-of-market Athletics 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 Athletics games live on the Prime Video app or Amazon website.
Compatible devices for the Prime Video app include 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.
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 $149.99 for the year to watch every out-of-market game, or $129.99 for the year to just watch out-of-market Athletics 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 Athletics games live on the MLB TV app or MLB.TV website.
Compatible devices for the MLB TV app include 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.
ESPN+
This isn’t going to be an option to watch a lot of Athletics 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) for $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year (or $13.99 per month for a bundle of all three of ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu).
Once signed up for ESPN+, out-of-market viewers can watch a daily MLB game live on the ESPN app or ESPN.com.
Compatible devices for the ESPN app include 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.
Athletics Season Preview 2023
The Athletics took a big step back last year. After finishing with four consecutive winning seasons from 2018 to 2021, Oakland went 60-102 last season, leaving the team in last place in the AL West. Still in the midst of a rebuild, the A’s aren’t expected to fare much better this year.
The A’s are a young group, and they added several new faces after last season concluded. They signed second baseman Jace Peterson to a two-year deal this offseason, and they also added infielder Aledmys Diaz and first baseman Jesús Aguilar. In 288 at bats with the Milwaukee Brewers last year, Peterson belted eight home runs and 34 RBIs, and he has two dingers in 32 at bats so far this preseason.
Diaz and Aguilar should also provide some boost to the lineup, with Diaz hitting 12 homers and 38 RBIs last year and Aguilar hitting 16 home runs and 51 RBIs. Aguilar, for one, sees something potentially exciting brewing in Oakland despite the rebuild.
“The opportunity here was clear. I want to be part of something good,” Aguilar told NBC Sports in early March. “I want to create. I want to build something good. In the future, maybe somebody will say, ‘Aggy was part of this.’ I’ve been in this situation before in Miami. I want to do the same thing here. I think we have what we need. Hopefully it will happen.”
If several young players on the A’s roster make a leap this year, it’s possible the A’s could surprise, although it’s unlikely.
Catcher Shea Langeliers should be a top young player to watch for Oakland. This will be Langeliers’ first full year behind the plate after having played in 40 games (142 at bats) in 2022. He hit just .218 with six home runs and 22 RBIs last year, but the A’s are hoping the solid defensive catcher takes a step forward offensively this year.
Here’s a look at the potential starting lineup and rotation for the A’s this year:
- C Shea Langeliers
- 1B Jesus Aguilar
- 2B Tony Kemp
- 3B Zack Gelof (Rookie)
- SS Aledmys Diaz
- LF JJ Bleday
- CF Cristian Pache
- RF Ramon Laureano
- DH Seth Brown
Likely starting rotation:
- Paul Blackburn (7-6 record, 4.28 ERA in 21 starts and 111.1 innings pitched)
- James Kaprielian: (5-9 record, 4.23 ERA in 26 starts and 134 innings pitched)
- Shintaro Fujinami (Rookie)
- JP Sears: (3-3 record, 4.69 ERA in nine starts and 48 innings pitched)
- Daulton Jefferies: (1-7 record, 5.72 ERA in eight starts and 39.1 innings pitched)
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How to Watch Athletics Baseball Without Cable 2023