After missing the playoffs for a second-consecutive full season, the Chicago Cubs look to make strides during what is likely to be a rebuilding year in 2022. Still, with the addition of Seiya Suzuki, along with a handful of talented young players such as Nico Hoerner and Nick Madrigal, the Cubs should be fun to watch.
In 2022, most Cubs games will be locally televised on Marquee Sports Network, while others may be nationally televised on MLB Network (those ones will also be on Marquee Sports Network), ESPN, ESPN2, Fox or Fox Sports 1.
If you don’t have cable, here are some different ways you can watch every Cubs 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 Cubs Market
FuboTV
You can watch a live stream of Marquee Sports Network, 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 Marquee 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 Cubs 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.
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 Marquee Sports Network 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 Cubs 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.
If You’re Out of the Cubs 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 Cubs 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 Cubs 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 Cubs 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 Cubs 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 Cubs 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.
Cubs Season Preview 2022
Six years removed from extinguishing a more than century-long World Series title drought, the Chicago Cubs are back to full rebuild mode. The Cubs lost 91 games in 2021, the worst since 2013 when the team lost 96 games. Chicago dipped below .500 for the first time since 2014, an 89-loss season.
It could mark the end of a six-year stretch where the Cubs went to the playoffs five times and won a World Series. Either way, the Cubs will look to build around a new nucleolus of players with many of the key players from the 2016 championship team long gone.
2021 Season Review
The Cubs went 71-91 and finished fourth in the National League Central Division under manager David Ross.
Rafael Ortega led the Cubs in batting at .291, and he drove in 33 runs for a team that ranked 11th in batting average and run production among NL squads. Pitching didn’t fare well for the Cubs as no starter finished with an ERA below 4.26.
Keegan Thompson had a 3.38 ERA out for the bullpen in 53.1 innings pitched, the lone exception on the staff. He only mustered a 3-3 record with the best ERA on the Cubs pitching staff.
Key Offseason Transactions for 2022
Trade: Nick Madrigal moved across the Windy City from the Chicago White Sox to the Cubs. Madrigal showed promise in two seasons with the White Sox. The Cubs also acquired Codi Heuer in the trade that sent Craig Kimbrel to the White Sox.
Free Agency: Jonathan Villar signed with the Cubs in free agency after spending the 2021 season with the New York Mets. The 12th-year journeyman will play for his seventh team.
Chicago also signed Andrelton Simmons in free agency from the Minnesota Twins. Simmons will benefit the Cubs in the infield with his strong defensive play, one of the best in the game according to CBS Sports’ Matt Snyder.
The Cubs also potentially boosted its offense and fielding with signing Japanese baseball star Seiya Suzuki. For pitching, the Cubs signed Marcus Stroman from the New York Mets and Drew Smyly from the Atlanta Braves.
Chicago also claimed pitcher Wade Miley off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds.
Please enjoy @suzuki_seiya_sb‘s destruction of a baseball.
Projected Lineup
- Wilson Contreras, C: Contreraas batted .237 with 21 home runs, 57 RBI, and 20 doubles last season.
- Frank Schwindel, 1B: Schwindel played in 56 games last season and batted .342 for 40 RBI, 13 home runs, and 19 doubles.
- Nick Madrigal, 2B: Madrigal appeared in 54 games for the White Sox last season and hit .305 for 21 RBI and two home runs.
- Jonathan Villar, 3B: Villar hit .249 for 46 RBI and 18 home runs with the Mets in 2021.
- Andrelton Simmons, SS: Simmons batted .223 in 2021, but he drove in 31 runs and scored 37.
- Ian Happ, LF: Happ averaged .226 at the plate and posted 66 RBI and 25 home runs last season.
- Jason Heyward, CF: Heyward hit .214 and tallied 30 RBI in 2021.
- Seiya Suzuki, RF: Suzuki has a .309 career batting average in nine seasons of Japanese professional baseball.
- Patrick Wisdom, DH: Wisdom batted .231 with 28 home runs and 61 RBI in 2021.
Projected Starting Rotation
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- Kyle Hendricks, RHP: Hendricks went 14-7 with a 4.77 ERA and 131 strikeouts.
- Marcus Stroman, RHP: Stroman went 10-13 for the Mets in 2021. He also had a 3.02 ERA and 158 strikeouts.
- Wade Miley, LHP: Miley posted a 12-7 record for the Reds in 2021. He had a 3.37 ERA and struck out 125 batters.
- Drew Smyly, LHP: Smyly went 11-4 for the Braves in 2021 and posted a 4.48 ERA and 117 strikeouts.
- Justin Steele, LHP: Steele had a 4-4 record and a 4.26 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 2021.
Projected lineups based on ESPN, CBS Sports, and MLB.com.
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How to Watch Cubs Games Without Cable in 2022