2026 MLB on ESPN: Full TV schedule with dates, teams and key games revealed

If you are planning to watch MLB games on TV this season, ESPN has made things a bit different for 2026. The network is not spreading games across the whole year like before. Instead, most of the big matchups are packed into the summer months.

That means more action when the season really starts getting intense.

Full 2026 MLB on ESPN schedule with dates time and matchups

April 15 at 10 p.m. ET: New York Mets vs Los Angeles Dodgers on ESPNMay 7 at 7 p.m. ET: Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox on ESPNMay 7 at 10 p.m. ET: St. Louis Cardinals vs San Diego Padres on ESPNMay 25 at 3:30 p.m. ET: New York Yankees vs Kansas City Royals on ESPNJune 14 at 3 p.m. ET: Chicago Cubs vs San Francisco Giants on ABCJune 22 at 10 p.m. ET: Atlanta Braves vs San Diego Padres on ESPNJune 27 at 1 p.m. ET: New York Yankees vs Boston Red Sox on ABCJuly 16 at 7 p.m. ET: New York Mets vs Philadelphia Phillies on ESPNAugust 16 at 3 p.m. ET: St. Louis Cardinals vs Chicago Cubs on ABCAugust 23 at 7 p.m. ET: Atlanta Braves vs Milwaukee Brewers on ESPNMore games will be added and confirmed later as the season progresses.

ESPN focuses on summer schedule as New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers headline key matchups

If you are planning to follow MLB on TV this season, ESPN has changed things a bit for 2026. The network is putting most of its big games in the middle of the season. Instead of spreading them out, the focus is now on June, July, and August.In total, ESPN will air 30 exclusive national games. Out of those, 23 are set during the summer months. This is when the season gets serious, and every game starts to matter more. So the idea is simple: more important games, more attention, and more excitement.

The schedule still begins with some big early moments. On April 15, ESPN will show the Jackie Robinson Day game between the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers at 10 p.m. ET. Then, on May 7, fans get the first doubleheader. The Tampa Bay Rays face the Boston Red Sox at 7 p.m., followed by the St. Louis Cardinals vs San Diego Padres at 10 p.m.Later in May, the New York Yankees play the Kansas City Royals on Memorial Day at 3:30 p.m.

ET. Moving into June, the Atlanta Braves take on the San Diego Padres on June 22. A few days later, on June 27, the New York Yankees face the Boston Red Sox in Boston, airing on ABC.July brings the second-half opener on July 16, where the New York Mets play the Philadelphia Phillies. August also has key games, including the St. Louis Cardinals vs Chicago Cubs on August 16 and the Little League Classic on August 23 between the Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers. Some games are still not fixed. ESPN will decide those matchups closer to the dates, depending on team form and standings.